I'm Human, I Swear
by Bookgeek890
Summary: I was normal, I promise. I didn't want this. I don't know what is happening. I promise, it wasn't supposed to be like this, I'm human. I can't be...
1. Some Light Background Reading

_**Every piece of this is completely, 100% true.**_

I thought I was just normal. It was nice, being normal. I went to school, hung out with friends, played with robots and occasionally set things on fire during summers using chemistry. I was that smart, nerdy girl who was socially awkward and preferred to sit inside and read than go party. I loved it, my life. I loved school, sitting at lunch where my friends would crack me up with a well-placed remark at every turn. I loved playing in the orchestra or with church or for fun. I loved programming little joke viruses to infect computers with. I loved playing with my cats. I loved my job. I didn't even apply! I was paid to play with robots and Arduinos. ROBOTS!

Within my group of friends, we all had a specialty. We all had our quirks. One was the mathematician/linguist who enjoyed trying to get me to say two in Swedish because I can't pronounce it at all and any attempt ends with a hysterical butchering of the poor word. He and his twin sister had a weird sense of humor and enjoy pranks and teasing people. Another walked with his camera at his side, always filming or grabbing quick shots when no one noticed. I always did funny poses when I noticed and he was going to make my own album where I have my tongue sticking out. It was like our own little joke. Another was a perfectionist and was amazing at everything she did. She made herself my minder with another friend. They all kind of did.

You see, I was like the little, naïve kid of the bunch who had her head in fantasy world. For any fandom I was a part of I could tell you facts upon facts of information. For any piece of music from Harry Potter, I can listen to less than a minute of it and tell you which movie it was from. I can go on and on about the mythology behind Supernatural, Teen Wolf, and Percy Jackson. I can rattle off facts about actors that are obscure. I can write in Circular Gallifreyan and Tengwar without using a cheater sheet (though the Circular Gallifreyan takes a while). I also don't have a head to mouth filter and have difficulty picking up on social cues. This causes me too often come off as rude or horrible, but my friends took it all in stride.

I'm sure you're wondering what the point to all this is, but I'm getting there. I promise. I just wanted some background to be thrown in there. I think you get the gist though. Socially awkward teenage fan girl who is one of the biggest nerds you will ever meet (I'm serious, one date was spent making robots out of Legos) that basically is like any other fan girl out there.

Yet out of them all, for some reason, the unbelievable happened to me.


	2. Beginning? I think its the Beginning

It started as an ordinary day. Doesn't it always start as an ordinary day?

It was Friday. I had gotten back from school and I was looking forward to the weekend. Naturally, since I had a whole 2 days to get homework done, I figured I could relax and not cause tears of frustration in attempting to understand Linear Algebra. Did I mention Linear Algebra is evil and causes only pain and suffering? No? Well it does.

Anyway, I tossed my bag next to the couch, threw my shoes in the closet, and plopped on the couch with my laptop for some me-time. Most of me-time is spent streaming videos and playing video games. As much as this pains me to admit, I….um…well…..IwascatchinguponDoctorWho. God, I sound like a Mary Sue. Normal girl, just so happens to be watching what they are sucked into…..um - Spoilers. Sorry, my mouth gets away before the filter kicks in.

But, yeah. With Season 8 done and done, I really needed to get a move on with catching up. Between school and work and school, this was my first chance to sit and binge. So I took full advantage of it. The senioritis might have helped things along as well.

Around 3am, Saturday morning, I finished all the way through and decided might as well watch one more as I was already awake and I didn't have to be anywhere until 5pm anyway. So, I went to Season 2. The start of one of my more favorite regenerations - 10. I love Tennant. He's such a fan boy and is so in love with his job. You can tell how much he gets into character. He's cute too. I was a wreck when he regenerated. My parents kept giving me weird looks while I was watching the episode and let's not even go into what school what like the next day. But back to the story.

The episode started as normal when my screen went black. I was annoyed. My laptop was a temperamental thing that would claim I had an hour of battery and then die within 15 minutes. I set it aside and tried to find the cord in the dark – which is not an easy task I can tell you. After a few stubbed toes and a handful of bruised knees I cried out in victory as I found it….or my phone charger. That was okay too I guessed. Mainly because it was connected to my phone and then I could be like: LET THERE BE LIGHT!...*whisper shout* that wouldn't wake up my parents, more importantly!

I turned my phone on and turned around when I noticed my laptop screen was back on. I hovered the mouse over the battery sign and it said it had a full charge. Which, trust me it didn't. I had been going without the charger for 3 hours now and I was streaming video and audio the entire time. My laptop is epic, but not that epic.

I decided that I must have broken something - or more likely Windows had broken something - and continued looking for the charger before I get a 3 second warning of "Plug in your laptop now or it will die and you will lose everything MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" and so on and so forth with whatever sass Windows has come up with recently to put in their messages. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

As I couldn't find my charger in my room, I decided to trek downstairs. Now, my house is super creepy at night. There are shadows that dance and creaky wood floors that are ice cold all the time and don't get me started about the fireplace or the old portraits on the walls. Despite my attempts of keeping lights on at all times to combat Daeva and Vashta Nerada, my parents seem to think nothing is wrong with downstairs when it is dark. I told them they should watch more of A Haunting and then maybe they would start to understand.

I point my phone light in the direction of the stairs and slowly creep down them silently praying that nothing jumps out. I quickly go to the living room where there was a break in the paint on the wall. It wasn't anything special and I wouldn't have noticed it unless I had come in on that side. You see, we don't have cracks in the walls unless you count the basement, which no one does as it is currently unfinished and therefore has multiple cracks and breaks everywhere. Also, I was down there 4 hours ago and there was no break then. Which meant, at some point between me "going to bed" and my quest for a charger a crack magically appeared.

Now, before people start pointing fingers and so on and so forth, I'll have you know I spent a whole 5 seconds thinking logically about the whole mysterious crack and how it probably was one of the cats who scratched the walls too many times or something else more likely…but then I really wanted to touch it. Just because I'm human like that and let's be honest here: Mysterious crack appears in the wall and you expect me to restrain myself? To be fair, I did grab a handy-dandy stick first. I prodded the crack with it and nothing of note happened. I examined the end and it didn't look burnt or iced over or like anything interesting happened to it. And yes, I look at it under light thank you, Before and After.

I set down the stick and held my phone tight. I crept slowly closer to it, hand out stretched. I brushed the barest hint of my finger pads along it and-

Nothing.

Nothing happen.

I rubbed along it completely and shrugged and turned around. I had a charger to find thank-you-very-much. Mysterious crack or no mysterious crack. I looked over to my little nest and saw it sprawled next to the couch. I grabbed it and headed back up. I plugged it in and sat to watch the rest of the Christmas Invasion. Afterwards, I shut my computer and headed to bed, the episode playing throughout my head.

I remember my head hitting the pillow and pulling the blanket over me and the last sight of my awesome room as I closed my eyes and let Morpheus take me.

Now, you must be like, okay. Why did you tell me this if nothing of note happened? Well, you see….

I did not wake up in my room.


	3. Joke, Must be

_Ungh, why is my head pounding harder than my last attempt to visualize a 4D hypercube? And why is it so bright? My blinds stay shut all the time. I swear, if my parents are attempting another "sunshine is good" intervention -_

I opened my eyes.

And blinked.

Multiple times.

Some jaw flapping happened as well.

And sputtering.

"But… But…. What? How? Who? No wait..…But…."

I was outside. Like, actually outside.

I squinted my eyes as my headache got a bit worse. I looked around, hoping for some clue or big sign stating "YOU ARE HERE" - (with labels and proper arrows pointing properly).

I didn't recognize anything at all.

I glanced around again, this time with purpose.

_Okay, Ray-Ray, pull yourself together and think. You don't know where you are? Find out. What is the best way to find out WITHOUT drawing attention to concerned good Samaritans? A newspaper._

Ooo look, lucky me. There is a library right across the street. They keep up with the newspaper. I walked over and went in. There was a nice looking person at the front table. She gave me a weird glance and I paused for a moment, trying to figure out why she would do that. I glanced down. No shoes, no socks, sweatpants, and a FIRST robotics shirt. So, no shoes is weird but I've seen worse. It is Kentucky. I keep walking.

"Hi, can I see today's paper?" I say with a smile, hoping it doesn't look like I'm a hoodlum ready to cause trouble. It probably more resembled a grimace in reality as my head felt like my brain was trying to crawl out and those lights were pretty bright.

My "smile" apparently didn't work too well as she gave me another sketch looking stare, but something must have convinced her enough to point over to a table where I could see a stack of papers. I probably looked so pathetic.

"Thank-you."

I walked over and grabbed one before finding a quiet spot to sit without interruption. I looked at the top and started to mentally freak-out a little bit.

Okay, so it was a lot a bit. Don't judge.

You see, the city said London. As in London, England not the London I knew. As in, I was not in Kentucky, USA anymore. I wasn't even in the right country. I didn't have money, or a passport, or much of a phone as mine had 3% battery left and I had a pounding head in return. I really was in a conundrum.

…Then I saw the date.

_2006! WTF! IS THIS SOME KIND OF JOKE?! PLEASE SOMEONE TELL ME I AM PART OF SOME TV PRANK AND IT REALLY ISN'T DECEMBER 2, 2006 WHEN IT SHOULD BE DECEMBER 2, 2014! EMPHASIS ON 2014! GOD, I'D BE 10 IF IT REALLY WAS 2006!_

What is happening? You don't know? Well, neither do I.


	4. Okay, maybe not a Joke

_Okay, okay, okay. Pull yourself together. Think logically. Be a Vulcan. Think! Okay, so that newspaper claims I am in London, England and today is December 2 of 2006. Assuming this is true, they had computers back then. And internet, right? I vaguely remember having computers in 4th__grade. I bet they are crap though. But let's see….._

As calmly as I could, I took the paper back to the table and went back to the receptionist.

"Hi again. Do you have computers for use? I only need one for an hour or so." I smiled…..well, it was more of a grimace but I tried. She narrowed her eyes at me and pointed over a ways. I turned and saw a nice little pod of computers ready to go. I smiled for real this time in thanks and shuffled over.

I grabbed one with the screen facing the wall and wiggled the mouse and winced as the light was harsh and sudden. I turned the brightness down a bit while it thought about waking up.

_OMG, this is soooooo old. If this is a prank, it is very elaborate. I haven't seen Windows 2003 in a long time. And… oh no. EXPLORER! Please, let this not be true. Please someone tell me that there is chrome. Please, please, please dear Lord. Anything but IE!_

After forever, explorer decided to open. The first thing I googled was a chrome download and installation. I'm doing the library a favor here. Really, I am. But it wasn't there. It wasn't blocked or anything like that, it just didn't exist. For someone to do that, they would have to set up the computer on a semi-closed circuit and have a coding genius set it up. And they wouldn't know which computer I would use where so it is more likely that if it were a joke, they just wouldn't let me near a computer.

I then google today's date and top results: December 2, 2006. The internet doesn't lie, but people can. And people code everything. There is only one good way to find out if this computer is on a closed loop. I quickly pull up command prompt and attempt to ping the computer MIT has set up for hackers to hit. I finish typing the proper command to the appropriate IP and we have lift off! Which is both a bad and good thing. This being a prank is looking to be less and less likely.

I quickly erase my steps and start going through news records. Nothing in international looks remotely familiar, excluding North Korea being holed up.

_Well, I was ten at this time. Maybe I just don't remember what happen._

I go through news reports all the way back to 2000 and pause.

_Did I see anything about the attacks on….._

Quickly I look up 9/11/2001.

There is nothing.

I google World Trade Center Attack.

There is **nothing**.

Gulf War, Terrorists, anything at all.

**There is nothing.**

I go back to the beginning of news and notice a name in British Headlines.

Harriet Jones.

_Harriet Jones is a fictional character._

I type in Doctor Who.

The archives and wikis and everything that should be there about all of the classic who and some mentions of revamping the show, assuming it was 2006, was not there.

I type in Doctor, alien, blue box.

Clive's website showed up.

There might have been some more jaw flapping and spluttering at this point to.

_OKAY, OKAY, OKAY! HOLD YOURSELF TOGETHER RAY-RAY FOR 20 MORE MINUTES! THINK! THINK! THINK! British are more paranoid than the US, or at least, they show it. Cameras, their version of the CIA keeps tabs on this don't they? If this is for real not a joke, I can't get caught. I'm supposed to be 10, I have no passport or ID of any kind, and therefore the Embassy would laugh me out or treat me as a threat. First step: Erase steps. Second step: Get away without drawing attention to self. Third step: Find a homeless shelter to eat at and potentially sleep in until new plans can be made because I'm starting to get hungry and I have zero money. Fourth step: Find new name and know it like it's all I've been called. If original me exists here too, then I will be arrested for identity theft or shown to the nice men in white. Or worse, Torchwood or Unit would get their hands on me and neither tend to be friendly to potential aliens or anomalies._

I erase my history again and glance up. There's a man in a suit outside walking inside. I quietly slide out and venture to the back of the library. The man walks up to the receptionist with a smile. I quietly sneak around and slip out the side door and glance around. I spot cameras up on corners. I walk and merge with the crowds and weave in and out of blind spots. I pretend I'm at school and don't want to be notice. I become part of the background.

_Now, homeless shelters are more likely to be in bad looking neighborhoods. Meaning if it looks nice, don't go there._

Following this logic I end up at a semi-decent looking place after a couple of hours. During this time, my headache I had at the start intensified and I was starving and I was cold. It didn't help that I didn't have something to focus on to help push the pain to the background.

I see a place next door giving away hot food and immediately join the ranks. It was beef stew and it was okay, but anything at this point would have tasted like the best thing since sliced bread. I sit by myself and head out quickly when I finish. Before I make it out, a man grabs my arm. I turn and look back in fear, but smile when I see he just handed me a coat.

"It's too cold ou' there fo' a lass like yurself to be a wanderin' 'bout."

"Thank you." I softly said. I gave him another smile and put the coat on as I walked out.

_Ohhhhh, I am never taking coats and shoes for granted again. Its soooo warm._

I slip into the alleyway nearby and sit down Indian style with my feet on my thighs so I can cover them with the coat. While I bundle up small and tight hoping no one notices me, I think about names I could go by. As it starts to get dark, I decide on one.

Hello, my name is Maura Outisson.


	5. New Plan Needed

I walk into the day center and grab a pair of shoes that fit. I keep chanting in my head.

_I am Maura Outisson. I am Maura Outisson. I am Maura Outisson._

As it is getting close to night, the day center is going to be closing soon. I sneak out again and head back into the alley. I wonder away a bit until I see a few others who look homeless. Deciding that's the best I'm going to get for the night, I settle down and attempt to get comfortable.

_It's just like camping Ray - Maura. Mar? Yeah, good nickname, Mar. It's just like camping Mar. But without blankets and a tent and pillows or even a basic mat. You're just camping._

I fell into an uneasy sleep.

_I really really hope this is a dream. Just a weird crazy dream._

When I woke up, my headache was worse. _Not a dream then… _I squinted as I looked up into the early cracks on dawn. I checked I still had my phone even if it was just a useless hunk of metal and wouldn't be made for a few years. It was sentimental at least and had all of my contacts on there. I actually don't know anyone's phone number, hence why I haven't called anyone yet – well, that and I wasn't sure if I was awake. Also, who would I even call? All my friends are in elementary school and their parents don't know. Calling my parents is out of the question as well. I need a plan. Of some sort.

_So, prank idea is thrown out for the moment. What is this then? How did I get here? Fan-fictions always point to the crack in the wall or in the computer screen, but I messed with both when they acted weird and nothing happened then. I don't even know when I left my room. It couldn't have been too long as no one came to tell me I couldn't sleep on the bench. Yet, at the same time, no one noticed my appearance that I know of._

_If I'm really in Doctor Who, then I have 21 days to get myself situated and not get locked up by the government in the process. 3 weeks to decide on what to do. Should I track down Jackie and Mickey and see if I can wiggle into their lives to reach the Doctor? Should I even search him out? I know so much about him, what if he thinks I'm a dangerous time-sensitive creature when I'm really just a very lost girl? What if Torchwood catches wind of me? This isn't the nicer one that Jack is in charge of, this is the one that has no qualms about doing whatever is necessary to take on enemy threats. What about back stories? If I do go the Jackie and Mickey route, I can't just walk up and say "Hi, I know you know the Doctor can I crash with you for a few weeks till he gets here." They'll call the police who will send me to UNIT or Torchwood: both of which end badly for me._

_Right, only one real option here. Watch and wait. And hope this God-awful headache goes away 'cause I have no money for meds._

With that plan in mind, I head into the day center again. I see a notice board with job listings.

_If I could get my hands on a violin, getting money would be easy. I could put my 9 years of orchestra to use. But I need money for a violin._

**HELP WANTED:**

**People needed for hard labor, paid £8** **an hour.**

_3 good days of hard work and that's enough for a cheapo, piece of crap violin and shoulder rest and a tuner with some to spare. I can start there and get some money for some really good strings and a nice bow and then save up for at least a decent student instrument. I can wrangle good sounds out of them without too much hassle._

I grab a stub with the address and start making my way there after another stop at the soup kitchen.

_Living rough isn't as bad as I thought._

After 3 boring days of doing everything from shoveling, to lifting, to moving rocks around at the construction site, I finally gathered enough money for a violin, a pair of jeans, a shirt, and a cheap motel to take a shower at. I track down a violin with case, bow, and rosin for £100 at a Pawn Shop. It was a steal. This beauty is really worth more like $800 or $900. The owner must not know his instruments or have good contacts. It might not be German but it's one of the better quality rip-offs of a German student instrument. I stop at a music shop and pick up a shoulder rest and a cleaning cloth and a cheap tuner. I then check into a motel for £50 for one night and drop my new violin off. There is a store nearby so I head over and grab a drawstring bag, cheap soap, and a hair brush and head to the equivalent of Good Will for cheap jeans and shirt.

I head back to the hotel and take a long shower and scrub my hair and body really well. I use half the conditioner getting through knots and tangles. After I finish, I scrub my old clothing in the sink and hang them up to dry on the shower curtain rod. I head back in and pick up my new violin.

I tune her and run through a few 3 octave scales. It could be better but she'll get the job done. I'll have to be careful at nights as cold and wood do not mix well at all. At least I have money now, even if it is about £10. It's more than I had before. And I have more than the clothes on my back and a futuristic phone that doesn't work.

I sigh and decide its time to rid myself of the emotions that had been bottling up since this nightmare started. So I played. I played anything and everything from classical music to fiddling to popular songs from the 80s to when I had left. I played folk tunes and movie scores. And I cried. For the first time since opening my eyes to December 2, 2006, I cried. I cried from the fear. I cried from the pain. I cried from the loneliness. The sense of helplessness. That crushing feeling when you become truly lost with nowhere to turn. I played until the tears ran dry and I felt like I'd been put through the wringer.

After my long over-due breakdown, I put my violin aside and went to sleep underneath the warm covers and set the alarm for 9am.

_The only thing you can do is take the punches life gives you and roll with them. When bullies try to knock you down you get up and smile at them for nothing annoys them more. When it seems as though everything has been ripped apart by the winds of time you embrace it with open arms for you never know what new adventure it might lead to. Everything happens for a reason. Every event leads to another for more and more memories and experiences and lessons that creates the character that you know today to be you. Every action has a response in return from the world in ways you might not realize. So all you can do is accept it for no one is worthy of going against the will of Fate and Destiny._


	6. The British are Good Audiences

I was up before the alarm went off. Which is weird, for me at least. I guess sleeping rough leads to earlier mornings as you have to get a move on and plan out the day.

_16 days to decide something._

I grab my clothes that are now clean and dry and shove them in my drawstring bag. I put the hair brush, soaps, and phone in as well. I pack my violin up with the cleaning cloth laid over the top like a blanket and put the tuner in the same slot as the rosin.

_Time to get some money…after breakfast_.

I buy a bottle of water and a small muffin. I figure, I can reuse the bottle for later so it's worth the outrageous amount they are asking for it. I put on the coat that man gave me on the first day and sling my bag on my shoulders. I grab my case and check out of the room. I decide to head towards busier places as they mean more potential customers. It helps that I look younger than 18 as well, as the innocent, prodigy factor can come in.

I walk for a bit and see a busy, mall-like area ahead. I find myself a corner and unpack. As I tune, I get a few glances thrown my way. Since its Christmas time, I decide that some festive cheer is needed. I start playing a basic remix of Masters in This Hall that a group of friends and I worked on for a project. A crowd starts to slowly form, I move into What Child Is This, Rudolph (as younger kids were starting to smile and point), Jingle Bells, and Silent Night. People started singing along and I went into my church repertoire that I always played with the choir at Christmas time.

They were a good crowd. There was one guy who bellowed out O Holy Night and a group of middle schoolers who did a nice rendition of Angels We Have Heard on High with me. I have to admit, British crowds are fun to entertain. New Yorkers would never do this. It quickly became time for lunch and with a sad heart, I had to start gathering the money collected so far and find a place to eat.

"I'm sorry guys, but it is my lunch break. I'll be back here within 40 minutes and I'll see if I can't introduce you to some American folk songs." With that, the crowd slowly dispersed, but not before many smiles and "goodbyes" and "that was very good" and "you don't mind if we videotaped you?" To which I replied "Not at all."

_If the government thinks me a threat, then they can see this and how I'm not doing anything except trying to get by peacefully._

I started picking up the money left in my case and, with wide eyes recount it all again.

_4 hours and over 100 pounds collected! The British tip well and are good audiences?! You have to work for this back home!_

With a lighter heart, I grab a sandwich and get ready for the second half of the day. I discretely put the money in my bag and mentally go through my folk song playlist. Yes, I have playlists in my head, it's how I keep track of them all and no, I don't have a mind palace. Just an iPod. A very extensive iPod surrounded by chaos.

I head back out and see familiar faces trying to discretely wait nearby. Many of the crowd that dispensed was waiting and apparently, word spread to their friends as the moment I started into The Parting Glass, a bigger crowd showed up. As it started to get dark I decided to do a homage to Britain. After Hedwig's Theme, I played My Country Tis' a Thee or, as it is known in Britain, God Save the Queen.

I went and bought a coat with the money I had and walked back to the shelter when I was done performing for the day. I saw someone who didn't have one and gave them the new coat with a smile (I always believed in keeping a circle going) and walked to the hotel I had slept in the night before. I grab a room for another night and I go pick up some more clothes from the store. As I settled in for the night, I went to sleep with a smile.

_15 days to go._


	7. WHAT?

Word spread quickly about my playing and within a week it was normal for me to a huge crowd around me. I usually could make enough to spend the night at the cheap hotel and still have enough for food and cheap strings as the harsh air snapped them. I even obtained fingerless gloves and a journal. I decided I should keep track of what has happened to me so far, in case it happens to someone else. I also got another to write down everything I can remember about Doctor Who from Classic Who to spin-offs to the 12th doctor. I wrote about actors and other jobs they have done. I wrote about quirks they have and stories of things that happened on set or at Comic Con. I tried to keep it decently labeled and organized but that didn't last too long.

Unfortunately, during this week, my headache didn't leave, but it didn't get worse. I decided to leave it for now as I know how to work through the pain of a pounding head and it wasn't bad enough to buy meds. It was like a soreness that you almost forget about but becomes horrible when you remember it's there.

With my popularity increasing, I decided to find another venue to play at as the plan is to stay low. Having huge crowds while you play is not staying low. I head to another mall area to set up shop and start. It's just like it was a week ago when I started playing for money. But this time, I swear I see a very familiar face. My fingers go on autopilot as I see Mickey Smith looking my way with interest.

I try to not freak out. I ignore him and continue on with the show. When I finish for lunch, he tosses some money in the case.

"You sounded great!" he exclaimed.

I stared at him in shock before finding my voice. "Th….Thank...you."

He headed off after giving me a smile and I packed up for lunch. I walked into the nearest place and grabbed a booth in the back.

_That was Mickey Smith. THE Mickey Smith. What the hell? What do I do? WHAT DO I DO?! Okay Mar, once again. PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER! Jackie Tyler lives on the Powell Estate which isn't near here. Mickey has to live close enough that when Jackie hears the TARDIS, Mickey could too. It is close to Christmas, he could have just been shopping. Yeah, that's it. He was just shopping and probably doesn't normally go here._

_Also, I can see if he shows up tomorrow. That could help determine if I need to steer clear of here for a bit or if I will have to hunt down the TARDIS on the 24th._

I walked out with that plan in mind.

He was there the next day, and he wasn't alone. He had Jackie with him and they watched near the back and clapped with the rest. They put money in my case as well and smiled. I tried to smile back, but I'm sure I looked like a deer in the headlights when they walked up to me. Back at the hotel, I allowed for a bit of a small mental breakdown.

_I can't draw attention to myself but if both were there the next day, then they must live nearby. New plan then. I'll play at another venue and when the day the TARDIS appears, I can use my stealthy ninja moves to head back over to that area and see if I can hear the TARDIS, if I can, then I'm in the right spot and I can just stalk them until I can figure out what to do and how I should approach them. Good? Good._

Feeling a bit better with a new plan in mind, I went to sleep.

_Only 4 days to go._


	8. This Is The Day

December 24th, 2006 approached quickly. I had amassed a nice little sum of money from playing and decided to spend the day in question sleeping. I remembered they had gotten there at night and Christmas was spent freaking out. Good thing I don't have A-positive blood.

I headed over to where I saw Jackie and Mickey and found myself a nice little alley to hang out in as it started to get dark.

Then I heard it. The most beautiful sound in the world. The sound that brings hope to all who hear it. The sound of brakes. I rush towards it and hide off in a corner so I could see the scene play out. But before the Doctor passed out, I could have sworn he looked right at me just as my persisting headache increased in intensity before going back to a dull throb as he hit the ground.

As they carried him off, I discreetly followed and hid in a nearby alley with a great vantage point. I settled in for a long wait.

_So, how to go about this… "Hey Doctor, I'm from parallel world that watches your life on TV for fun! Please, please, please help me get back to it." What about "I'm lost and I think you can help me get back home?" UNGH! How to not sound crazy while doing this or invite questions I can't really answer…...?_

_Okay, Official plan: I don't really have one so I'll just wing it for now. Should questions come up, they come up. Lie where necessary, but with as much truth as possible to keep it straight. And keep different universe to self until a good opportunity shows up. Assess the situation. Don't run in blind. Remember, Mar, you don't know how accurate the shows would be on his character because it is made to be a family show. Meaning a lot of things get swept under the rug or beyond subtle and you miss cues in real life so let's not even think of potential misses in the fiction world. Don't forget it took you 10 years to figure out Neville forgot his robes in Harry Potter._

After a while, I started seeing people on roofs. It wouldn't be long now.

* * *

I saw them carry the Doctor out and followed them back to the TARDIS. I hid and watched. I saw the TARDIS disappear and not long after, the people on the roofs started to come down. Many kept looking over the edge with a confused expression. I heard it again and the people left. That beautiful sound. They stepped out and looked up. Then, I noticed the huge ship.

_How'd I miss that?_

The image of the ship exploding flashed through my mind. I jumped up, eyes wide, ready to shout "STOP!" but I was too late. The flash of green goes up and hits the ship. I looked up at it in horror.

_They were leaving. I was so caught up with "is this real, is it not and fangirling" and forgot it didn't matter if it was real or not if there was a potential chance to save someone._

I didn't notice the Doctor had finished with Harriet and saw me. I didn't see him ask Jackie if she knew me. I didn't see her answer back.

But I did notice when I looked back over and his eyes made contact with mine. And I was brought to my knees as my head felt like a war was being waged within its confines.

I was in too much pain to listen as words washed over me or to care that I was being picked up.

I just happily went into the dark when one last pair of fingers brushed my forehead.


	9. What trouble I find myself in

I woke up slowly. I could feel the cloth in my hands and the bed beneath me. I could sense a presence nearby. I heard a whirling sound and whomever was next to the bed brushed hair off of my forehead. Keeping my eyes closed, I just laid there and marveled at the wonderful feeling of no pain.

"Hello. What is your name?" It was a male voice, but it had the strangest accent I've ever heard. It was melodic, like what you would expect an elf from Lord of the Rings to sound like while speaking English. It rang a bit. He kept moving his fingers gently across my head back and forth. It was soothing.

"Maura. Maura Outisson." I sighed back.

"How old are you Maura?"

"18." The fingers paused for a moment in what I assume was shock, but started up again when I frowned. I laid for a few more minutes, still keeping my eyes shut. I was almost back asleep when he asked:

"What are you?"

I paused. It was a weird and unexpected question.

"Human." The hand on my head pulled back completely at that. I frowned and decided to stop being lazy. I opened my eyes to a room that was a little too pink for my liking (and by a little I mean I despise pink). I glanced over to the man standing next to the head of the bed.

It was the Doctor. My eyes went wide and I stared in shock. He was looking back at me in shock and with what looked a bit like concern and worry. Just then, Rose knocked and entered. She saw I was awake.

"Hello. You scared us when you collapsed like that. Are you okay?" All I could do was nod. "Are you hungry?" I nodded again. She seemed a little flustered at the lack of words I gave. "We grabbed your things when we carried you back, if you're wonderin'." I just kind of stared back. What was I supposed to say? "I hear you play well. Where'd ya learn?"

I could feel the Doctor's eyes on me as Jackie walked in then.

"Is she awake yet?" Her eyes landed on me. "Oh, sweetheart, you're up! Do you want some tea and biscuits?" I shake my head no even though I just admitted to Rose I was hungry. "Scared the livin' daylights outta me, you did. I almost didn't recognize you at first until I saw your violin case. I couldn't possibly forget that wonderful music you played a couple of days ago." I blushed a bit at that. "You're the talk of the town. No one has seen ya before and everyone is wonderin' where you come from…." On and on went train Jackie and as she started to pry a bit, I glanced at the Doctor, pleading for some peace.

He gave some signal to Rose and she managed to get her mom out without me having to answer any questions. He then walked over and gently shut the door before turning back around to face me.

_Oh, boy. What have I gotten myself into?_


	10. I Only Speak English

_Crap_,_what do I say?_

_Wait a minute._

_Doesn't the Doctor have an English accent? Because when he spoke to me earlier it was not in an English accent. It wasn't anywhere close to an English accent._

_But everyone else looked and sounded how they were supposed to. And the Doctor looks like David Tennant, so shouldn't he also sound like him? And he's staring at me._

"Right. Care to tell me how a young Time Tot managed to get here?" he asked gently.

_WHAT?!_

"Um…..I'm sorry. You must be mistaken. I'm a human. I'm not a…a Time Tot."

He looked at me a bit confused. "Why do you keep saying your human?"

"…..Because I am?" I'm sure I have a very nice looking confused face at this point.

"You sure about that? Because I've only heard you speak Gallifreyan, you have two hearts, and you tried to reach out to me through telepathy." He quirked his eyebrow up as if I was playing a game and he found it cute.

"I don't know Gallifreyan! I've only ever spoken English! Unless you count Latin class in middle school and Spanish class from Freshman to Junior Year! I only have one heart thank you and I don't have telepathy! I'm pretty sure I would notice if I did!" I'm starting to freak out a bit in case you haven't noticed.

And now he looks mildly concerned. He approaches me as if I were a wild animal and states clearly, "You spoke Gallifreyan just then. I've only spoken to you in Gallifreyan and you have been replying back."

I look back up at him a bit wide-eyed. "Uh, I'm speaking English. I've only ever spoken English. You are speaking English to me. That is not Gallifreyan."

He stares at me for a minute before slowly turning his head and to call for Rose. She comes in and he asks her to stand there and listen.

"Do you agree that Rose – that's her over there - must know English and be able to recognize it?"

"Um, duh. She lives in Britain. She has to know English." I rolled my eyes a bit.

"Then why can't she understand what we are saying now?" He turns and speaks directly to Rose. "Did you understand any of that?"

She shakes her head. "No. Why isn't the TARDIS translating it? I thought it could translate any language, alien or otherwise?"

"Yes, well. It is assumed that if you have a TARDIS, you would know your first language." He turned back to me. "Did you understand the exchange?"

I nodded, but I was a bit in shock. The Doctor dismissed Rose with something about "proving a point" and she headed off. He turned back to me, but I wasn't paying attention to him.

_Why couldn't she understand me? IT WAS ENGLISH! I don't know Gallifreyan. I can't know Gallifreyan. The one person who knows it in the entire universe didn't teach it to me. They must be playing a prank. This can't be happening!_

The Doctor must have seen something because he immediately grabbed me in a hug while I broke down once again.

_What is happening?_


	11. Spanish Inquisition

He held me for a while and rubbed my back while I cried. I felt like I was 5 again and I had just lost sight of my parents for the first time while at a huge school event.

_I'm human._

_**You're not.**_

_I've always been human. I don't speak Gallifreyan or understand it._

_**Yes you do.**_

_I only have one heart._

_**No you don't.**_

_I don't have telepathy._

_**Then what have we been doing?**_

I jerk back. This was it for me. With him between me and the door I did the next best thing. Under the bed I went. Half of me feels horrible for acting like such a child, but the other half was perfectly content to seclude myself in the depths of beneath the bed. I heard him sigh as he got on his knees to peek underneath.

"Maura? Maura, what are you doing under there?" he asked softly. I could see his worry shining out in his eyes.

I just sat there and trembled. _Too much. Too much._ He tried to come in after me, but I backed up further so he quit. He grabbed his sonic from inside his pocket and flicked it for light.

"Maura, looky hear. Like that, yes, look into my eyes." He waited until I complied. They held so much. They were so deep and so old. They seemed to pin me with the weight of what they had seen. "It's okay. You're okay." I could feel my body start to calm down. "Come here. It's safe to come out. Come on." Against my will, I slowly moved forward a bit. He reached out his hand and I started to mimic him before managing to freeze. Seeing the fight in my expression, he latched on and the rest of my defenses collapsed. I came out.

Despite whatever he had done, I still had tears streaming down my face and I still had a small tremble in my hands. Deciding to try and act a bit like the adult I am, I tried to change the subject.

"Wh…..Wher…..Where's my…..st..stuff?" I managed to whisper out. I kept my eyes to the ground.

"Jackie, Rose, and Mickey have it. They haven't gone through anything or taken anything." He managed to maneuver himself so I sat on the bed.

"I..just..want….t..to go home."

"And where is home?" He came in closer.

I put my knees up and sat with my arms around them with my head on top. "Kentucky. Good Ol' U S of A."

He sat next to me. "And how does one end up in London if they are supposed to be in America?"

I didn't say anything. He scooted closer.

"Were you running away?" I buried my head under my arms and shook it as a replacement for a verbal no. "Did you get lost?" I nodded. I felt him reach over and start rubbing my back.

"Did you try the Embassy?"

"Don't have my passport." I whispered.

"They could still help you get in contact with someone."

My parents popped in my head. "I didn't have anyone to contact."

'What about who you came over with?" He seemed to be searching for something.

I was really starting to not like the questions I didn't have good answers to. "I came over with no one."

"What about your parents?"

"They aren't here."

"You could still call them." He suggested.

_Yeah right. _"I have a feeling it wouldn't work."

He sighed. "Maura, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."

I ignored him. He realized he wasn't going to get much more from me.

"Right, well it's been a long day, so I'll leave you to get some rest." He got up slowly and started to walk out. I held my position as he shut the door.

The moment he did, I turned and laid on the bed as my body shook with suppressed sobs. I felt like a horrible person. Not once had I thought of my family since the first brief thoughts when I ended up here. How they were probably freaking out because I was missing. Or worse, I was completely erased from that universe and they wouldn't know why my room and my stuff would be there. I eventually wore myself out and I fell asleep.

Before I went into the land of Morpheus, I could have sworn I heard the door creak open again.


	12. Need Plan Now

When I woke up, it was dark. I turned onto my stomach and grabbed the blankets to pull over my head when I heard a soft snore. I glanced up to see the Doctor sleeping in a chair in the corner of the room. Deciding to sneak out now and confirm where I was, I used my ninja moves to maneuver out of bed and make it to the door.

It was torturous. Every creak I would stop and glance quickly at him, hoping I didn't wake him up. It's not that I was scared of him, I just needed time to figure things out without him breathing down my neck.

_He thinks I'm Gallifreyan and I'm not. I am fairly certain that someone would have noticed if I didn't speak English so I honestly don't know what is going down with all that. I am also fairly sure that I would also notice, or at least a physician would notice, if I had two hearts. I have been sick more than enough times, and I have been dragged to many a doctor's offices, that someone would have noticed. In Season 3, Martha noticed very quickly and she wasn't even expecting it._

_Also, if I did have touch telepathy, wouldn't I be hearing voices? Doesn't that develop for them very early on? So I would have been labeled as a schizo for hearing voices. As I haven't, I'm fairly certain we can throw that out as well. What to do about this…_

_…Yeah, I have nothing. I guess…. First: Find food. Second: Figure out if I can speak English to Rose, Jackie, and Mickey because people understood me earlier and they were_for sure_English speaking humans. Third: The Doctor probably thinks I'm prone to mental instability at this point already so avoid questions that I don't have solid answers too until I figure out how I got here. And try to act more like an adult as well. After that last breakdown, it doesn't put a light on me that I want. And if I really did get here from a crack in space in time, he isn't supposed to know about it until he is 11…errrrrr 13? Should probably figure that out. Even if he doesn't count it does the regenerations count? Wait. Off topic. Void. I couldn't have gone through the void as that kills humans. It's also noticeable if you get caught in a crack, so even though it is really not likely it was the crack, it's better to err on the side of caution. I don't know much about time, but I know enough that causing paradoxes is bad and the Doctor can't always fix them._

_I guess this means I have to play along to the best of my abilities. As long as he thinks that I'm a Time Lord….Lady…..whatever, he won't want to let me out of his sight. Also, they have long lives. If I remember correctly, they aren't done with the academy until they are around 100. Which means if he thinks I'm 18 – which I am – I am the human equivalent of a (18/100 * 18) a 3 or 4 year old to him! And he was a dad once!_

_…At least he doesn't think I'm a dangerous, time-sensitive human. That probably wouldn't have ended well. Right, so food, English, and then deal with Lord Doctor._

I moved out of the hall to the kitchen. It looked like I was at the Powell Estate and not in a random room in the TARDIS, which is good because I couldn't see the Doctor willingly allowing Jackie on his ship. It was dark. I looked at the clock and saw it was close to 5 am. I looked around and it looked like there was still a bit of a mess of wrapping paper so I decided it must be December 26th. I shuffled over to the fridge and grabbed a stick of butter. I then tracked down a knife and some bread. I then sat in a chair and nibbled on my butter sandwich.

After eating, I snooped around a bit. In the lounging area, I saw my bag next to my violin. I quickly grabbed it and checked that everything was there. My phone was still wrapped in clothes and my journals looked untouched. I crammed the one that held future information as far in as I could and grabbed my personal one. I started updating it.

When I was halfway through, I heard something. My head snapped up and the Doctor was leaning against the wall in the hallway looking my way. I gave him a little glare for spying and went back to writing. He took that as an invitation to come sit across from me. He looked at my journal curiously.

"What'cha writing?"

"Stuff." I didn't even bother looking up.

"That's not much of an answer."

"Well, that's the best you're gonna get." He huffed at that.

It was quiet for a moment. "Are you hungry?" And it was gone.

"I already ate." I shot back.

"When did you eat?" he sounded a bit incredulous at this.

"An hour and a half ago while you were snoozin'." _I can take care of myself. Have been for a while. _

"What did you eat?" He prodded.

Well, I could give him that. "Bread and butter."

He scrunched his face at that. "That's not much of a meal."

I rolled my eyes. "It does the job."

"That's still not much." He countered.

"Look, I'm no stranger to having small meals. It's fine." I look up at the end of the statement in an attempt at emphasis and see a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes. Realizing I gave a bit more away than I planned, I quickly look back down and clam up. While living on the streets wasn't bad, it invited questions I wasn't ready to answer. I continue writing and he leaves me in peace for the moment.

Not too much later, Rose walks in. She seems a bit surprised that I was up.

"Hi. I'm Rose. We didn't have much of a good introduction yesterday." The Doctor looked curiously at me. I guess he wanted to see if I really could speak English.

"I'm Maura." I shyly replied.

"Mum was telling me about you playing in the pavilion. Were you doing it for fun or…" She squirmed a bit uncomfortably there.

I decided to save her. "I enjoy it yes, but I did need the money. I was living on the streets before I got enough money for a violin. It's easier for me to obtain money that way as I've played for around 9 years now. I have a nice set of pieces in my playlist up here." I tapped my head.

She went a little wide-eyed at that. "What about your parents? Didn't you have somewhere to go?"

I shook my head. I decided to not try to elaborate about the parent issue. "It's fine Rose. Nothing bad happened. I usually had enough money at the end of the day for a night at a cheap hotel if I budgeted myself. I only spent 4 nights actually sleeping on the streets. It really isn't as bad as you think."

_Dang it brain. Filter! FILTER! Why must I speak before thinking? None of my friends ever seem to have this problem! *mentally throw hands up in the air* Ungh, why me? Didn't I JUST THINK **DON'T MENTION THE STREETS**!?_

"So what are your plans now?" The Doctor interjected. Rose looked at him a bit confused.

"I was planning on doing what I was until I have enough to rent or buy a place."

The Doctor quickly shook his head at that. "No, I cannot in good conscious leave a young Time Tot in the streets to fend for herself."

_Again with the time tot _"I told you I'm not a Time Tot!" He rolled his eyes at that.

"At the very least, you could come live with us. You would be off the streets and be guaranteed a safe, warm place to sleep and a meal." I feel like I'm getting lectured by a parent here on how I clearly wasn't thinking my plan through.

"And how do I know you aren't serial killers or….or something?" I fake a suspicious glare at him. I mentally reminded myself that I don't, in any way shape or form, know him. Or at least I have to act like it. Well, it wasn't truly acting. _The show is made for family._

He looked a bit sheepish. "Ah, good point. But aren't you the least bit curious?"

I scrutinize him. _I really, really,_really _want to go with him. It's pretty much any fangirl's dream: The Doctor and his TARDIS, next stop anywhere. And I_am_really curious. *sigh,* my curiosity is really going to get me into trouble one day and I might not be able to get myself out of it. But whatever, I think I've waited enough that he won't be suspicious if I say yes. Let's be honest here, I was going to say yes no matter what. Scary monsters or no scary monsters, 1. He is almost definitely my only chance to get back home and 2. The Doctor is worth the monsters._

"Alright." I conceded. He grinned. "On a few conditions." I added quickly. His grin fell slightly. "1. I get to bring my stuff and no one goes through it ever. 2. No prying unless it is life or death. If I tell you, I tell you; if I don't, I don't. And 3. Prove to me I am this…Time Tot creature you keep claiming I am and I'll not mention being human again. Deal?"

_Insurance of privacy and I can prove to him I'm not a Time Lord…Lady. And more chances to keep him from being suspicious, not that he would EVER manage to guess my story. His beliefs would never allow for it. Or at least what he was taught wouldn't allow for it. _

He looks at me seriously, a bit searchingly, before nodding his consent. "I can live with that."

"Okay, then. I'll live with you…for now." His smile was bigger now and he looked like he wanted to hug me. Annndddd he's coming closer. Yup, I got crushed in a huge hug. His happiness was a bit infectious as I found myself grinning as well. I may have been fangirling a bit too. Weird situation or not, I was going to live on THE TARDIS with THE Doctor.

Rose then spoke up. "What's got you all happy?"

_OMG, SERIOUSLY! WE WERE SPEAKING ENGLISH! SHE WAS RIGHT THERE THE WHOLE TIME! WTF?!_

The Doctor gave me what looked like a look in reprimand, but I couldn't figure out why.

"We have a new passenger."

Rose smiled at me. "Well, you can go introduce her while I get Mum up to say goodbye and then we can head off."

The Doctor turned to me. "Grab your things and follow me. We can head over now and get you settled in and fulfill your third condition."

I hurried to shrug on my coat, shoes, bag and grab my violin. The Doctor headed out after taking my hand captive. He kept up a chatter the whole time. "Oh, you'll love Old Girl and I'm sure she'll love you. I wonder what your room will look like. Maybe pink with purple swirls." I grimaced at the word pink. "Or not. What about Deep Blue Ocean themed with an aquarium. Or…"

_Oh boy, this is going to be a long day._


	13. SEXY!

He dragged me out to the TARDIS and turned back to me with a grin.

"Here is where you'll be living."

To keep up with the act, I had to throw the usual lines at him. "….It's a box."

"Yes it is."

I tried to look skeptical. "You live in a box…"

"Weeeeellllllll, not just any box. Go on. Go on in." He opened the doors.

She was beautiful, really. The show does nothing to showcase how huge the control room is. I could see under the grating and it went down for a few stories, at least. And then the time rotor in the center with the elaborate top showcasing every companion's name worthy of mention in Circular Gallifreyan is only a small piece. It stretched up and sprawled out like tree limbs. I stood there in awe before remembering I had to play ring around the rosy to keep suspicion away.

I set my things on the grating and calmly walked out and pretended to scrutinize the outside. For show, I stood in the doorway and peeked in and then leaned back and peeked out and then peaked back in. The whole time the Doctor was standing there watching in amusement. Deciding to deny him his favorite words I stood there and sort of nodded to myself before saying "Okay, dimensception, but…cool."

His jaw dropped a bit. "No bigger on the inside?"

I shrugged, "I assumed you have probably heard it multiple times and would appreciate a variant in answer."

He shook his head in amusement. "Right, well we can find you a room to put your things before heading to med-bay to fulfill condition 3. If you head down that hallway, take 2 rights, a left, the second left, and the 7th right, you can have any room that is unlocked down that hallway. When you are done, follow the orange streams."

I headed off and on the way flattered Sexy.

_Oh, helllllllooooo. I'm fangirling here, Sexy. I can't believe I get to meet you. I can't believe I am in you right now. I can't believe I get to LIVE here. And maybe, in the process, I could make things better. Hopefully, I won't make things worse, but some things…little things…..that could make all the difference. And it's so early in 10's timeline. Maybe, he won't have to become Time Lord Victorious to heal._

I got a few hums and nudges along the way and eventually I ended up in the hallway. There were many rooms with names on them in Circular Gallifreyan. It was close to the standardized version made by a fan, but it had more. It looked like line thickness and sentence structure/word structure was the biggest differences, but I recognized a letter or two of what seemed like English names. I tried the doors one by one. None of them opened for me. I tried again and got the same result. I was about to sit in frustration before I noticed there were orange streams beneath my feet leading away. I decided to follow as at the very least it would take me to the Doctor who could fix this.

It lead me on a 7 minute walk to another hallway and lead straight to a door. It had Gallifreyan on it, but not the half moon. Deciding I might as well try, I reached for the handle. It opened into a beautiful room. It felt very open with a ceiling like the night sky above my home in Kentucky. I could pick out the constellations and they were where they should be for this time of year. It was hardwood floors with fuzzy rugs that were in shades of black, purple, and blue. The walls were painted so they started blue at the bottom and looked like it bled into purple and then into the sky. On the left, there was a cave-like loft where on top there was a mat like I would use if I was planning on sleeping outside while camping. Underneath was a hammock. To the right was my own little library with numerous nooks and crannies to situate myself into. There were many stylish shelves that rose up from the ground. They looked like pyramids on a stick almost and they had lounge chairs and bean bags nearby.

"Thank you Sexy, it's beautiful." I set my stuff down and walk out with one last glance back.

_I can't believe that's_mine_._

I started following the orange streams again. When they reached a door with the half-moon, I paused for a minute. The tension in me become taunt and thick. I could feel the nervousness start to hit me like a train and saw my hands were trembling a bit.

_This is it. The moment of truth – for the question of my species that is, not that it's difficult to tell._

_I could hear a tiny voice start to say __But what if__and I squashed it ruthlessly. There was no way…no possibility…_

I steeled myself and walked in.


	14. You're Kidding

It was very white – white floors, white walls, white beds. It also smelled a bit weird, like a mix of sterile with something sweet, but subtle. The beds lined one wall and cabinets lined the opposite wall and there was a half wall that looked like it shielded equipment like scanners and whatnot. The Doctor was standing next to a bed and was fiddling with something on a tray. He must have heard me walk in as he looked up and smiled when he spotted me.

"Great, come on over here. Like your room?"

I couldn't hold back a grin at the mention of my room, no matter how nervous I was. "I love it. It's amazing." He gestured to the bed and I sat down on it and the reality of the situation swarmed back in. "So what does this all entail?"

"Well, I figured a DNA test would be the best and depending on the results and how much you believe them we could go from there." He held up the supplies for obtaining blood.

Immediately, my nervousness increased tenfold. I have a huge fear of needles. Like, I have panic attacks near medical ones. But I needed to prove I am human and this is the best way. I shakingly held out my arm and looked away. I felt him grab my arm gently and rub soothing circles on my wrist while he prepped it. It felt like he was taking forever to do so but I was slowly calming down as he continued. When he finished the prep, I immediately tensed up to prepare for the sting, but it never came. After a minute or so of waiting, I finally got the nerve to look up and saw he was running what looked like a dermal-generator from Star Trek over the crook. He finished and smiled back up at me. I attempted a small smile back, but it was probably more of a grimace. He grabbed the vial and slid it into a slot that appeared in the wall next to the bed. Above all the beds was a series of screens. He turned on the closest and gestured to it.

"Here is where the results will appear." I glanced nervously between him and the screen. After a few seconds it showed the results.

**Time Lord**

My vision started to blur a bit as my breathing hitched. "I….I can't be. I-It must be lying."

The Doctor looked at me with a bit of pity. He grabbed my hands and placed them flat on my chest. "Do you feel that?" I concentrated and I could.

_Two hearts._

_But I didn't have two hearts before. How could this have happened? One doesn't just go around randomly changing species on whim?!_

I started to tear up. It was a bit too much for me again. _If I'm wrong about this, what else am I wrong about? _And once again I found myself breaking down as my world turned upside down while the Doctor held me. As I started to slowly calm, I heard him whispering to me.

"It's okay. We can figure this out together. I'm a Time Lord too, I can help you out. It's okay. You're not alone. Oh, the adventures we'll have you and I, just you wait. All of time and space is at your fingertips now. You're still you, you still have the same memories, same thoughts, same personality. Finding out you're a different species doesn't change who you are fundamentally. It's okay."

My tears subsided and we sat there in silence before I spoke up. "What does this mean now?" I mumbled into his shirt.

"That you're welcome to stay with me for as long as you like. If you want, I can teach you about your heritage. We could also try finding out what happened to your parents. And I also suppose I should probably tell you this now and get it out of the way.

"Maura, you have been treated like a young adult because that is what the humans would have believed you to be. In reality, you're not a young adult. Time Lords live for thousands of years. And an 18 year old, in Earth years that is, is considered to be the equivalent of a 3 year old in human terms. I will try to make adjustments in how I treat you but please don't snap at me if you feel like I'm babying you.

He paused and let it sink in a bit. "Now, any questions yet or is it still a bit too much?"

I had so many questions I didn't know where to start.

"How old are you then?" I whispered in his soaked shirt.

"A lot older than you."

_Trying to skirt, are we?_ "That's not much of an answer."

He was silent for a moment before, "900."

I smirked a bit into his shirt. "Meaning you're ancient."

"No, you're just an infant." I could feel him grinning.

I started to mentally replay our previous conversations. "Before, you mentioned me trying to reach out telepathically."

"Yes, Time Lords are touch telepaths but we don't need to be touching other Time Lords to communicate. Most Time Tots have a special bond with their parents from an early age. They instinctively reach out and make the connection. If, for some reason, the connection is severed before puberty, they will reach out to whomever their minds deem a suitable parent or guardian. By law, if a young Time Lord connects with you, you can't turn them away."

"….the only Time Lord nearby was you." He gripped me tighter. That's all the answer I really needed for that.

I hadn't really heard of this before. "What does it entail?"

He tensed up. "Maura, we don't have to-"

I interjected more firmly. "What does it entail?"

He was quiet for a minute before relenting. "I know when something is wrong no matter how far you are from me. If you are projecting your thoughts, I can hear them though I tried to block them out when you were doing so earlier as you didn't appear to realize at the time that I could hear them." I froze up a bit at that, I couldn't help it. "It causes my instincts to recognize you as my child and to treat you as such whether or not you are mine biologically. I can also pick on your mental and emotional state. And how are you doing so far?"

"Fine." Came out when I felt like I was feeling every emotion in existence at once.

He sighed. "Maura, I know you are not fine so don't try and persuade me you are."

"…I don't know how I'm doing."

"It's okay to be confused." He tried to tell me.

I shoved my emotions to the back corner for the moment. I still had questions. "Why did I pass out?"

He hesitated briefly. I would've missed it if I wasn't so focused in. "I think you hadn't been around another Time Lord for so long that you panicked a bit and tried to stop the connection process."

I worked hard at keeping my personal thoughts about that down.

"So we have two hearts and are telepathic. Anything else of note?" I was curious on what he would tell me and if there were things I didn't know.

"Wellllll, at some point you're going to start noticing your Time Sense. We have a little trick for cheating death. We are tougher than humans and have better senses. We don't need to sleep as much. We have lower body temperatures, more complex brains, 2 more ribs and darker blood than humans. We have a respiratory bypass, another liver, and a few other organs that humans don't. Our DNA is also a triple helix."

Once again, I found myself trying to keep my thoughts from roaming to what he didn't say. I couldn't think of any questions that wouldn't go to places I wasn't ready to deal with yet so I stayed silent. The longer we sat there, the more stressed I got as I attempted to get control of my mental dialog.

Finally, he said something. "Right, well why don't we take you back to your room and you can have time to process and take a short nap and then when Rose gets back, we can head off. Sound good."

Grateful for the save I nod. I intended to get up and walk, but he just carries me like I'm 5. I squirm a bit, but he just holds me tighter.

_I'm not a child!_

"Yes, you are."

_I can walk._

"Yes, you can."

_That was an attempt at getting you to see that you don't have to carry me._

"True, I don't have to."

_Great, so you can-_

"Humor me."

Huffing, I stop protesting. Eventually we made it to my room and I pouted the whole way back. He walked in and set me on the hammock.

"When you're ready, just follow the orange lights again and Old Girl will lead you to me."

I nod in understanding. He walks out and shuts the door behind him. I wait for a few minutes to insure that he is far enough away before I get up and start pacing – it helps me think.

_Time to start worrying._


	15. Monologue

I started to panic a bit and I hoped that the Doctor would realize that I need to work through it myself_ without_ him listening in. Though I'm sure the moment he feels like I've been panicking too long, he'll barge in.

_Great, I have to control emotions_and_ thoughts. That's not too likely to happen so I'm just going to have to trust that the Doctor is smart enough to recognize I need the privacy of my own mind for a few hours, SO IF YOU'RE LISTENING IN, NOW IS THE TIME TO GET OUT._

I allowed the music that plays in the background of my mind to blare loudly. Usually, it stays almost unnoticeable, but I at least have practice in bringing it forward. Unfortunately, I generally have a hard time making it shut up again.

_So, I'm a Time Lord._Great_. I – _for sure_ – wasn't one in my universe so I guess it's like I was just born over here but as an 18-year-old Time Tot. He mentioned something about this parent bond thing. I never had one back home because I wasn't a Time Lord there, so it was my first one. Of course my mind was going to freak out. I was never informed and there wasn't a set of fully grown Time Lords, who knew what was going to happen, to help smooth the process along. I'm sure I shocked him with it as much as I shocked myself. I guess that's also why my headache spiked when he landed and then quit when he passed out. That wasn't enough time to connect. I also guess my headache was my mind trying to find another Time Lord._

_Gah, this is really weird._

_Okay, moving on to the whole parent thing. I'm not sure how I feel about that. One half is pissed-off because I have parents and I refuse to accept the never seeing them again because of a small obstacle called the Void. Accepting him as a parental figure is like saying mine are basically dead. Which is_not_ going to happen. The other half has been fangirling the whole time and is happy that he is no longer alone because maybe he can heal a bit faster and we won't have to go through the whole Time Lord Victorious stuff._

_This is also a super-crappy situation for me as I have been independent from my parents for a few years now. I still lived with them and everything, but I hadn't had boundaries for about 4 years now. The Doctor was a Dad. He is going to fall back into the habit of setting strict boundaries and being a Mother Hen because that is what you do with 3-year-olds. While I recognize him and respect him as being in charge, at the same time I still see myself as more of a companion. Meaning he also has some respect for me in return and I can give ideas and help save the day and be recognized as fully independent person. No matter how hard he might try, he will see me as a toddler under his care._

_Meaning, we won't see eye-to-eye and he will generally see himself as being in the right as the parent and I will not see him as having the authority. Wonderful, I'm going to be a rebel before I'm even a teenager in Time Lord Years. I guess the Doctor will learn what the terrible threes are truly like. I'm gonna go ahead and bet the Doctor has probably realized all this and will add rules slowly with legit reasons behind them until I am essentially locked in the TARDIS while they go adventuring and I basically study all day. Good thing I have practice with setting my foot down with parents without throwing a tantrum in the process (the fact that it requires for me to prepare for the argument beforehand means nothing. I still won many of them)._

_Now, I wouldn't mind learning about Time Lords and how to do all the mental control, mainly because as extensive as our knowledge is back home, it is also missing a_lot_. But I will probably snap after the first couple of rules. I'm guessing that's why he didn't mention the weak point Time Lords have on their left shoulder that is like the Time Lord equivalent of the cluster of nerves in a Human's right shoulder. A well placed jab and nighty night to me. He also didn't mention how he could knock me out with his mind if he wanted to. I'm sure he has been planning ahead since I first woke up and he realized I didn't know._

_I'll just leave those thoughts for now and deal with them as things come up. So, moving on to the biggest problem here. I'm from another dimension. Do I really think the Doctor, last of the Time Lords, will let me go back if it is even possible to do so? Yeah, most likely not going to happen. Should he ever find out, not only do I not have training in dealing with time and I have specific knowledge I probably shouldn't have right now, would he even believe me? Would he accept that I really am from another dimension or would he more likely believe that I'm having a psychotic break? He is a man of reason and science. With no real evidence to back my dimensional traveling that doesn't have very good potential other reasons for them, he will never believe it._

_As far as I know, no one saw me appear, I just woke up there. Home's timelines follows this universe's timeline until around the 1990s, with a few differences here and there thanks to the Doctor. Meaning everything I know history wise can't really be proof. And as a Time Lord, I'm supposed to know everything that has, will, can, and cannot happen so he might just see it as picking up on possible time-lines. I still have my phone, but it is dead. Assuming the s4 galaxy even comes out here, how do I know he doesn't have a good explanation for all of the Doctor Who stuff on it? Granted, it could help out with the "I'm actually from 2014" but that doesn't help the different dimension argument. Then, pretty much everything else I could use falls under the psychotic break category._

_Right, so plan. Umm…I guess I can use my mental playlist to my advantage. When he is nearby, blare it loudly and whisper my thoughts underneath. The music has played in my head since I was about 9 so I have a lot of practice with learning how to work around it. Now I just have to work on endurance and keeping it up. I won't be able to control my emotions very well so I'll just have to try and pay attention to the Doctor's reactions to see if he is actively keeping tabs on my mental thoughts if I can feel myself panicking or what not if it is due to future knowledge. And I'll have to remember no slip-ups on mentally calling myself Maura Outisson, but I also don't want to forget my real name._

_…__Hang on._

_Did the Doctor ever introduce himself?_

I mentally went back over the past 2 days.

_I can't remember him saying "I'm the Doctor" or "My name is the Doctor."_

_Right, so add to plan. No calling him the Doctor until he introduces himself or I'm nearby when Rose calls him the Doctor and if she does call him the Doctor when I'm nearby, I'll have to specifically think loudishly, "Doctor Who?" and bam, no suspicion there._

_Oh boy, I'm only going to last a day keeping this charade up aren't I?_


	16. New New Earth

With a plan in mind, I decided it's time to face the Doctor and Rose as she should be back by now. Even though I was told to take a nap I figured I didn't need it as I have been too old to be put down for a midday nap for 13 years now. Not that that stops me from taking naps now and then, but it's the fact he specifically told me too that was causing me to not take one.

I walk out and follow the orange streams of light. They lead me back to the control room. The Doctor was talking with Rose but quit and turned to me when I walked in. His gaze had a bit of disapproval in it, I figured from not taking a nap, but he didn't say anything. Smart move for him.

"I don't know if I ever mentioned this, but this is the TARDIS, Time and Relative Dimension in Space. She can go anywhere and anywhen. We, Rose and I that is, travel around and go on adventures. You are welcome to come along, provided you follow a few base rules."

_And so it starts._

"And before you start up, Rose has to follow them too. Right, the biggest and most important rule is no wandering off. We'll be in different time periods and dealing with alien species that have a culture you won't know enough about to safely get by. Also, things can get dangerous at times and it's just easier for everyone involved if you stick to me like glue. Understand?"

I nod my head. _Oh, I understand._

"Great. Ready?" I nod. "Off we go!" He start this complex dance round the center, pressing and pulling things and the whole room started to shake. I grabbed hold of a rail nearby. It was something like 30 times the worst turbulence you have ever experienced on an airplane, but instead of sitting through it with a seatbelt, you're standing. Finally we landed.

I looked at the door. _Did we really-_ The Doctor and Rose both smiled at me.

"Go on then," Rose encouraged. "Beginner's privilege."

I slowly walked to the doors and hesitated as I readied myself to open them. I look back and was once again encouraged to go on. I opened them and stepped out.

Basically, I stood there in shock as I mentally fangirled and didn't really move until my arms were looped between the Doctor and Rose and they kept walking. It was a walk or get dragged situation.

"It's the year five billion and twenty three. We're in the galaxy M87, and this? This is New Earth." The Doctor chattered.

Rose grinned. "That's just…That's just."

"Not bad. Not bad at all." The Doctor finished.

Rose looked down and over and around. "That's amazing. I'll never get used to this. Never. Different ground beneath my feet, different sky. What's that smell?"

Once she pointed it out, I noticed it too.

"Apple grass." The Doctor answered.

"Apple grass." She repeated.

"Yeah, yeah." The Doctor was grinning and I noticed he stole a glance of me. Well, I'm still in shocked la-la land so if he wants a response he's just gonna have to wait while I work on accepting what my senses are telling me…and fangirling…

Rose didn't notice his glance over. "It's beautiful. Oh, I love this. Can I just say, Travelling with you, I love it."

"Me too. Come on." The Doctor commanded. I hadn't even noticed they had stopped walking.

Once again I got dragged between them as they picked a spot to lay down. The Doctor spread his coat out and once again I was situated between Rose and the Doctor.

"How you doing so far?" The Doctor looked at me.

I stared up at the sky and tried to form words. "It's….It's so….." _mind blowing._

Rose looked at me with a knowing smile.

I continued. "It's just…different time, different world across the universe, and yet there are still so many similarities. There's still people with families and jobs and art and music and teens trying to find their place while the older generation shakes their head at them. It's just…." _surreal._

We laid there for a bit longer, just watching the city and smelling apple grass and feeling the breeze.

Finally, Rose moved the episode forward. "What's the city called?"

"New, New York." The Doctor answered.

"Oh, come on." Rose sounded skeptical.

"It is." The Doctor sounded almost defensive of his knowledge. "It's the city of New New York. Strictly speaking, it's the fifteenth New York since the original, so that makes it New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York." Rose had been staring at him weird and he finally noticed. "What?"

"You're so different." She answered.

"New New Doctor." He replied cheekily.

_New New New New New New New New New Doctor, you mean._

Again, I didn't notice him glance over at me.

"Can we go and visit New New York, so good they named it twice?" Rose asked excitedly.

"Well, I thought we might go there first" The Doctor pointed over at a big white set of curved skyscrapers near the river.

Rose managed to pry her eyes away from it to look at him. "Why, what is it?"

"Some sort of hospital. Green moon on the side. That's the universal symbol for hospitals. I got this. A message on the psychic paper." He showed us the flashing paper. "Someone wants to see me."

Rose tugged at his arm. "Well come on then." They got up and again, I was trapped in the middle between them. I worked hard at keeping my protests and thoughts to myself. We walked in.

"I don't like hospitals." The Doctor commented.

Rose almost snorted. "Bit rich coming from you."

"I can't help it. I don't like hospitals. They give me the creeps." He defended.

_That actually would make sense._

Someone came on over the intercom. "The pleasure Gardens will now take visitors carrying green or blue identifications cards for the next fifteen minutes. Visitors are reminded that cuttings from the gardens are not permitted."

"Very smart. Not exactly NHS." Rose commented.

_What's NHS?_

The Doctor finished looking around. "No shop. I like the little shop."

Rose ignored him. "I thought this far in the future, they'd have cured everything."

"The human race moves on, but so do the viruses. It's an ongoing war." The Doctor explained.

During this time I had been trying not to stare at the cats. It was weird. On TV its fine, because you know it isn't real. But, they were really _cats_. Humanoid cats. At least Rose started staring too.

"They're cats." Rose did a great job of communicating the same amount of shock that I was feeling.

"Now, don't stare. Think what you look like to them, all pink and yellow." He admonished us. "That's where I'd put the shop. Right there." He points over to a nice area and then grabs my hand as he walks into the lift. "Ward 26, thanks!"

The elevator doors closed as Rose rushed forward shouting, "Hold on! Hold on!"

"Oh, too late. We're going up." The Doctor pressed himself to the door.

"It's alright, there's another lift." We heard muffled.

"Ward 26. And watch out for the disinfectant." The Doctor warned.

_Wonderful._ I was a bit startled when we got drenched. I stood ramrod straight and glared at the Doctor the whole time. He was enjoying himself and was looking at me in amusement. I imagined I looked a bit like a drowned cat. But that still isn't a reason for amusement. It's not. And great, his grin is getting bigger. The doors opened and, you guessed it, my hand was held captive.

"You okay? You've been quiet." He commented.

I nod.

Someone came over the intercom again. "Please report to reception."

We were being escorted by a veiled nurse.

"Nice place. No shop, downstairs. I'd have a shop. Not a big one. Just a shop, so people can shop." The Doctor rambled.

The nurse removed her veil and looked a little scandalized at that. "The hospital is a place of healing."

"A shop does some people the world of good. Not me. Other people." The Doctor tried to backtrack a bit.

"The Sisters of Plentitude take a lifelong vow to help, and to mend." Well, it didn't take long for him to offend someone.

While the Doctor was doing that, I managed to slip off to Boe. I could feel the Doctor's gaze as I did but he got caught up by the Duke of Manhattan. I kneeled down by his container and put a hand on it.

"Hello Jack." I whispered. He seemed to stir a bit. The Doctor came over.

"Novice Hame, if I can leave this gentleman in your care?" Our escort asked.

"Oh, I think my friend got lost. Rose Tyler. Can you ask at reception?" The Doctor got in before she fully left.

"Certainly, sir." She left.

Hame spoke up. "I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep. That's all he tends to do these days. Are you a friend, or-"

"We met just the once on Platform One. What's wrong with him?" The Doctor joined me near Boe.

"I'm so sorry. I thought you knew. The Face of Boe is dying."

The Doctor looked sad at that. "Of what?"

"Old age." Hame answered. "The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions, although that's impossible."

"Oh, I don't know. I like impossible. I'm here. I look a bit different, but it's me. It's the Doctor."

I smile a bit sadly to myself. _Eventually, you will be with Ianto. But not today._


	17. New Earth, Part 2

After a few minutes, the Doctor remembered his manners, or had a second agenda, as he went and got me and Hame some water. I didn't protest, unlike Hame.

"That's very kind. There's no need."

"You're the one working." He offered it again.

She accepted it but didn't drink. "There's not much to do, just maintain his smoke. And I suppose I'm company. I can hear him singing, sometimes, in my mind. Such ancient songs."

_Knowing him, they were probably Beyoncé, Brittney Spears, and wouldn't it be great if he did Wrecking Ball and they thought it was an ancient and wonderful song? Note to self, ask him at some point._

"Are we the only visitors?" The Doctor gestured at us.

"The rest of Boe-kind became extinct long ago. He's the only one left. Legend says that the Face of Boe has watched the universe grow old. There's all sorts of superstitions around him. One story says that just before his death, the Face of Boe will impart his greatest secret, that he will speak those words only to one like himself." Hame was practically whispering by the end of it.

_Yana._

"What does that mean?" I didn't notice the Doctor's sly glances at me as I continued to not say much of anything.

"It's just a story." Hame seemed surprised by how serious the Doctor was taking it.

"Tell me the rest." He commanded.

She paused. "It's said he'll talk to a wanderer. To the man without a home. The lonely God."

_He does have a home, he just doesn't realize it. It's like Sam and Dean Winchester. The Impala is their home which is why Dean always includes the Legos and scratches and army men when he has to rebuild it because it's reminders of how they spent their childhood there and later their adult life. The TARDIS is the same. And he's not alone, not truly. He just has to open his eyes and see that._

I also didn't notice his hidden look of shock at me.

Finally, he remembered that he could just call Rose.

"Where've you been? How long does it take to get to Ward 26?" I could tell from his face he noticed something was up. "You'll never guess. I'm with the Face of Boe. Remember him?" He sounded distracted as he walked over near the Duke again. "I'd better go. See you in a minute." I didn't really feel like getting up so I stayed put and waited for Not Rose to show up.

I started to daydream when I heard, "Well, I can talk. New New Doctor."

"Mmm, aren't you just…." And they're kissing. Gross. Not that I haven't seen people kiss, but that wasn't with Rose's consent and she probably doesn't know it's happening and yeah. I got up and started walking that way.

"Terminal's this way. Phew." Not Rose staggered off.

The Doctor looked ruffled. "Yep, still got it." He noticed I was over here. I could see the indecision in having me stay put or for me to go with. "Come on." Smart choice. I decided to stick to my quietness. The less I talk, the less likely I can accidently give something away in the heat of the moment. If he is distracted, there is a chance he won't be listening to my thoughts and I'm working on walls.

We manage to get into the ICU and what happens when the Doctor confronts the nurses about Rose and finds out about Cassandra? I get knocked out. And shoved in a pod with the Doctor. Who then tried to Mother Hen me and continue with taking down the Sisterhood and fixing Rose. Finally we got out…along with all of the infected….er flesh. Whatever. Then we ran…..a lot.

Eventually we made it to being trapped and they started arguing.

"We're trapped! What am I going to do?" Not Rose cried out hysterically.

"Well, for starters, you're going to leave that body. The psycograft is banned on every civilized planet. You're compressing Rose to death." The Doctor pulled no punches. He was pissed.

"But I've got nowhere to go. My original skin's dead." She whinned.

"Not my problem. You can float as atoms in the air. Now, get out. Give her back to me." I could feel the rage pouring off of him and I was extremely glad that he was not directing that towards me.

"You asked for it." Cassandra went from Rose to the Doctor.

"Blimey, my head. Where'd she go?" Rose asked. I pointed.

"Oh, my. This is different." Not Doctor chirped.

"Cassandra?" Rose looked a tad worried.

"Goodness me, I'm a man. Yum. So many parts. And hardly used. Oh, oh, two hearts! Oh, baby, I'm beating out a samba!" Not Doctor started dancing in time to their beats

"Get out of him." Rose commanded.

"Oo, he's slim, and a bit foxy. You've thought so too. I've been inside your head. You've been looking. You like it." Not Doctor teased.

Oh look, diseased people who can kill with a touch.

"What do we do? What would he do? The Doctor, what the hell would he do?" Not Doctor screamed.

_Finally, his name is mentioned!_

Rose quickly glanced around ad trained her eyes on one object. "Ladder. We've got to get up."

We were shoved out of the way as Cassandra bee-lined for the ladder. "Out of the way, blondies!"

We headed up, not that that stopped the argument.

"If you get out of the Doctor's body, he can think of something." Rose shouted up.

"Yap, yap, yap. God, it was tedious inside your head. Hormone city." Not Doctor stopped climbing to throw that barb down.

"We're going to die if-" Some cat person grabbed Rose's ankle. "Get off!"

"All out good work. All that healing. The good name of the Sisterhood. You have destroyed everything." The cat person hissed.

"Go and play with a ball of string." Not Doctor quipped.

"Everywhere, disease. This is the human world. Sickness!" The cat yowled. I looked down and saw her fall and the diseased were getting closer.

"Move!" Well, at least Rose is on top of things.

"Now what do we do?" Not Doctor had run into a dead end.

"Use the sonic screwdriver." Rose shouted.

"You mean this thing." Cassandra held up the sonic in between two fingers and looked like she was going to drop it.

"Yes, I mean that thing." Rose sounded really annoyed now.

"Well, I don't know how. The Doctor's hidden away all his thoughts." Not Doctor whined.

"Well, then just get out for a bit so he can do something!" Rose, always the reasonable one.

She huffed and left the Doctor….

…and went into me.


	18. New Earth, Part 3

It was incredibly painful. I could feel my mind trying to fight her intrusion. After what seemed like forever, I managed to create a barrier of music between her and me. It was horrible. I was painfully aware of how little space she was giving me. Finally she left and I slumped in relief. I looked up and saw the Doctor looking at me in concern. I waved him off and my eyes glided down towards the floor.

"Oh, sweet Lord. I look disgusting." Cassandra spat out.

The Doctor opened the elevator Rose and I followed him up. He grabbed my hand and he started to close the doors.

"No, you don't." Cassandra left the Flesh and went into Rose. I supposed it was as bad for her as it was for me.

"That was your last warning, Cassandra!" The Doctor shouted while she sat there staring off into space sadly.

"Inside her head. They're so alone. They keep reaching out, just to hold us. All their lives and they've never been touched." The Doctor's eyes softened. He held out his other hand and dragged us along.

We made it back to Ward 26 when that crazy lady who was with the Duke lunged at us with a metal stand. Immediately I was swept behind the Doctor while he quickly held his hands up in surrender. "We're safe! We're safe! We're safe! We're clean! We're clean! Look, look."

"Show me your skin." The crazy commanded.

We quickly obliged. "Look, clean. Look, if we'd been touched, we'd be dead. So how's it going up here? What's the status?" The Doctor quickly took command.

"There's nothing but silence from the other wards. I think we're the only ones left. And I've been trying to override the quarantine. If I can trip a signal over to New New York, they can send a private executive squad." Crazy lady explained.

"You can't do that! If they forced entry, they'd break quarantine." The Doctor protested.

"I'm not dying in here!" She exclaimed.

"We can't let a single particle of disease get out. There is ten million people in that city. They'd all be at risk. Now, turn that off!" The Doctor commanded.

"Not if it gets me out!" She snarled and clutched her pad close to her.

"Alright, fine. So I have to stop you lot as well. Suits me. Rose, Novice Hame, everyone! – Except you Maura. Excuse me, your Grace. Get me intravenous solutions for every single disease. Move it!" He continued to hold my hand captive while everyone else jumped to grab the bags. He managed to hang them all on his body while holding my hand. I watched him do it and I'm still not sure how it worked. "How's that? Will it do?"

"I don't know. Will it do for what?" _Oh, Cassandra, it's not that difficult to make the jump._

He opened the elevator doors and look at me. "I need you to stay here and not leave this room until I get back, okay? It's really important." I debated about arguing for a few minutes with him over it before nodding my agreement. I walked over to the Face of Boe while the Doctor did his thing.

"Hello Jack." I greeted him.

_**It has been a long while since I have been called that young Time Lord.**_

I smiled. "Yes, I'd imagine it has."

_**How long have you travelled with him?**_

"This is my first adventure. Cassandra gave him a perfect excuse to start restricting my boundaries as I'm sure he has been itching to do since he met me."

He gave me a knowing look. _**It'll work out.**_

We sat in silence for a bit. I was growing to be a bit exhausted. _Maybe the Doctor was right about that nap….but he's_ _only right this one time. It changes nothing._

Finally the quarantine was lifted and the Doctor made his way back up. By this point, I was in a daze due to my attempts to stay awake. I had had a long day filled with a lot of shocks and information thrown my way with only a small time to process. _Okay, definitely right about the nap._ I didn't notice the Doctor's smirk after thinking that.

Finally, we got a move on after Boe and the Doctor had their discussion and Cassandra moved to Chip and realized he was dying and therefore, so was she. I didn't really process that it was time to go back into the TARDIS until each of my hands were held captive by Rose and the Doctor. _It's a conspiracy._

He dropped Cassandra off and then dragged me too my room. Before I could protest, he picked me up and tucked me in. "Shhh, we can talk when you wake up." He said when he saw I was fighting to stay awake long enough to argue against needing to be tucked in. I glared a bit before closing my eyes and flopping back in the hammock.

_I am not going to sleep because you want me to, I'm doing it because I'm tired and your decisions have no impact on mine!_


	19. Talking

When I woke up, the TARDIS was darker. _I wonder if the fan theory about the TARDIS being on a cycle to mimic natural human circadian rhythm is true as the majority of his companions are human._ I stretched, and rolled out of bed. I took a quick shower and threw on some jeans and a tee. I followed the orange lights to the kitchen and the Doctor was there making what looked like breakfast.

"Where's Rose?" I asked, a bit suspicious of his motives.

"Asleep." He answered.

"What are you doing?" Never have I heard of the Doctor cooking. I thought he didn't do domestic.

"Making you breakfast." No hesitation. No deviation. He's doing domestic.

I paused. There wasn't that much food from what I could see. "You're not going to eat?"

"I will. How do you like your eggs?" He asked.

"Scrambled." I sat at the small table in the corner and watched him. We sat in silence for a minute before-

"So, what do you think about yesterday?" He probed.

I sat there, trying to think of an answer. "It was weird…..but cool."

The Doctor waited. When he realized that's all I was giving I got a "Nothing else. Just 'it was weird, but cool?'" I nodded while he filled two plates. "I saw you sat with the Face of Boe for a bit." I nodded again while he slid a plate over to me with utensils. "Did you have an interesting conversation?" I shrugged and nibbled on some toast. "What'd you talk about?"

"Stuff." _That you don't need to know about._

"Did this stuff include why you called him Jack?" He tried to catch my eye.

I froze for a second before I shrugged again. "He seem more like a Jack." I kept my eyes on my breakfast.

"And who's Ianto?" He looked only curious from what I could see without looking up, so not suspicion of anything (that would potentially be wrong).

I shrugged again. "Someone he missed."

There was silence. Then, "How are you dealing with being a Time Lord?"

I shrugged again. "Ok, I guess."

"You do a lot of shrugging." He commented.

"So?" I asked, a bit self-consciously.

"So nothing, I was merely making a comment."

I narrowed my eyes at him. _Yeah, right._ I mentally whispered underneath my playlist: _Rule 1, the Doctor lies. _"No, you were trying to get me to offer more information." I looked up for emphasis.

"I'm just trying to make conversation." We ate in silence again and my eyes dropped back to my plate. "How are you - **really **\- after Cassandra's attack on you?"

I glance up. "Okay. It hurt though."

"Yes, trying to block an attack through instincts only can be a bit painful." He paused, seeming to test the air a bit. "How…..How would you feel about learning how to build a basic shield around your mind. Just…..Just in case you should ever need it."

I paused. I hadn't considered he would offer lessons so soon, at least, not mental ones. "What would it entail?" I didn't know if I was quite ready to allow such full access yet. I didn't trust myself.

"We would spend a little of every day going through some exercises where I would verbally walk you through a basic wall construction until you felt comfortable enough to try blocking a small intrusion."

I considered it carefully, weighing the pros and cons, before tentatively agreeing. "When would we start?"

"If you're up for it, we could work on it after you finish eating and stop playing with your food."

I huffed before doing as he asked. _I seem to keep finding myself in these kinds of situations, don't I?_


	20. Lessons!

He finished eating long before me. I managed about half of the plate. I had spent too much time only eating small meals to save money to stomach the rich food. Even back home breakfast was always small because I had a bad habit of sleeping through it and finding I had 5 minutes to grab something or I would be late. He didn't look very happy when I pushed my plate away, but he didn't comment.

"Follow me, there is a great room we can do this in." We walked a short distance until he came to this weird looking door. It was wooden with silvery lines that flowed like veins through the wood. It was like lightning had struck it at the corner and everywhere the electricity flowed, it left a silver path behind. It didn't have a doorknob. He put his hand on this clear spot and the door swung back. He motioned for me to go in first.

I stepped through into this small room with two stools in the middle. I glanced back at him, unsure on what to do and he gestured to one of the chairs. I gingerly sat on it. The room was making me uncomfortable.

"This room removes all outside interference: sound, sight, smell, and telepathy with anyone not in the room. It allows for focus to be easily achieved for beginners." The Doctor started.

_That makes sense. But I really don't want to be in here alone, hence the second stool I assume. I'd bet no one would want to be in here alone. It's weird….like it_feels_ weird. Wrong almost._

The Doctor walked in and shut the door. He sat on the other stool. "I'm going to turn the lights off now, okay?" I nodded and it was pitch-black. I couldn't see my hand even if it was almost touching my eye. It was very quiet too. It was so quiet I could hear both of us breathing, well…mainly my breathing. I was trying to not panic from not being able to see anything. "Now, focus on your breathing. Feel the air going in and out." I followed his directions.

Slowly, my breaths evened out and I could almost hear my hearts. "Feel the blood pumping through your veins." I focused in. I was extremely aware of every twitch of every one of my body parts. "Now, slowly pull your awareness from your feet." I did. "Pull it from your legs." Slightly more difficult. "Your hands. Your arms." I closed my eyes in concentration, even though I didn't need to. "Bring your awareness to only your mind." After a bit of a struggle in reining in my thoughts, I managed to only be aware of my mind. It seemed so expansive, like it went on beyond my body. It felt like there was a small section of knowledge and memories and everywhere else was empty. The small section felt a lot like my closet back home: everything crammed into a small space with no system and the door forced shut so that if the door was opened, everything would come tumbling out.

"Now imagine a dome cast in iron around the outside barrier." This was really hard. There was just so much room, it was difficult to pinpoint the edges and keep a barrier. "Now maintain it." I focused in on keeping that iron wall up.

It felt like I managed for about five seconds before parts seemed to start fading out. I then had to rush to fix parts that were fading and lost bits of concentration in maintaining other areas of the wall. It was like an endless dance. Once one faded part was fixed, there was another that needed to be dealt with. Eventually it all crashed down. It was like an earthquake happened in my head.

"Ow." I rubbed at my head and opened my eyes and then shut them again. At some point the Doctor had turned the lights on.

"Sorry. You can open your eyes now." He had dimmed them significantly which was very helpful to my pounding head. "You did pretty well for your first time. Unfortunately, I can't do anything to help with the headache. Meds would ruin what you have accomplished and attempting to try a mind over matter technique would make it worse."

"Wonderful." I groaned. "How long have we been here?"

"About two hours." He answered. "Rose won't be awake for a while. Humans tend to sleep a lot. They're like cats. If you want to try and sleep it off, you won't be missing much of anything."

"M'kay. I'll go do that." I stumbled a bit while walking out but I did manage to make it back to my bed where I laid there in the dark. It was nice. I fell into a light doze where I wasn't asleep, but I wasn't really awake either.


	21. Stupid Time Lords and Their Deducing

Apparently I had fallen asleep at some point as when I opened my eyes, the TARDIS seemed a bit brighter. My headache was still there but it wasn't nearly as bad as before; I could easily ignore it. I tried to focus myself like I did in the room. I wanted to be able to block my thoughts from him as he was starting to get suspicious of something. However, every time I tried, I got distracted by something. The room being made how it was made a lot more sense now. Every time I started to relax, I heard and saw and even smelled so much. The TARDIS hummed her own song. I could feel her twitching beneath my feet. I could smell the books in my room. I could see the specks of dust in the air. It was a bit nerve wracking realizing how much more developed Time Lord Senses were in comparison to humans.

Not really knowing what to do, I walked out and followed the orange lights. And once again, they lead directly to the Doctor. He was in the console room fiddling with some wires down below.

"Headache gone?" He asked.

"Yeah." He gave me a glance that made me think he didn't quite believe me.

"Really?" He gave me a raised eyebrow.

"Yes." I lied to his face.

"You sure?" He prodded.

"Positive." Like I was going to admit anything to him. I'd dealt with headaches before and I'm a firm believer in not using medicine unless it's truly needed. I could deal with this minor annoyance. And I don't need help.

"Because your squinting a bit, have a pained expression, and as good as you might be at ignoring it, you still acknowledge it." He countered.

I gave him a small glare and crossed my arms. "It's fine."

He sighed and looked up. "Maura, it okay to ask for help or to admit you're not okay."

I stayed silent and looked anywhere but at him.

"It doesn't make you weak or lesser of a person." He continued.

I tried to not give away how close to home he was hitting. _Stupid Time Lords and their stupid need to deduce._ "Why do you care?" I could feel thoughts from my closet starting to appear that I didn't even know I had.

"Because I care and worry about you." He answered.

"Why?" I truly wanted to know. I wanted to see if he would tell me the truth, or at least what I see as the truth. Not once has he mentioned how he is the last or that he probably only cares because I can continue the species or that as long as I exist, he is no longer alone. He knows what it is like to be alone, he isn't going to want to go back ever.

"The same reason I care about any child under my protection." He replied softly.

"So, basically the bond makes you care." It just came tumbling out. I couldn't stop it.

He looked shocked at that. "The bond is just a tool! It helps out parents in keeping an eye on their children in a society where they can be taken advantage of more so than in a human environment. An unprotected mind is susceptible to being controlled to do anything, say anything, or be anything. The bond allows for parents to know when something is wrong while the kids learn how to protect their minds so that if such a thing ever happened, they could pick up on it. It has no bearing on the true emotions of the parent. If they already care for the child then it enhances it and if they don't care, it can help to dim emotions so the parent is more willing to help in great times of need. As I truly care about you, the bond just helps to enhance it. And how could I not? You're kind and funny and intelligent and beautiful and a wonderful, important person. The bond doesn't change that."

I looked down the whole time and blushed when he complimented me. But it still didn't go past me that there was no mention of the Time War. And I imagined that there would be no mention of it for a long, long time, at least in front of me.

I stood there in silence, unsure of how to follow that when I was saved by Rose. She walked in and looked like she had just woken up.

"Morning." She greeted.

"Morning." I mumbled back while the Doctor managed a more enthusiastic version.

"We headed out soon?" She asked?

"After breakfast." It seemed as if the Doctor had dropped the subject for now.

"Wonderful." At least someone is enthusiastic.

_As much as I like wolves, I'm not fond of being chased by one._


	22. Tooth and Claw - Well Queen Victoria ATM

We ate and Rose got ready while the Doctor and I waited in the console room. We didn't pick up where we left off and more or less sat there in awkward silence. Finally, Rose was ready.

"So where we headed?" She asked.

"How about 20th century?" The Doctor replied.

"What do you think of this? Will it do?" Rose gestured to her outfit.

"In the late 1970s? You'd be better off in a bin bag. Hold on, listen to this." The Doctor put in some CD. "Ian Dury and the Blockheads. Number One in 1979."

I decided to pipe up for once. "Yeah….never heard of 'em."

Rose and the Doctor turned and stared at me mouths agape. "Never?!"

"No. I know the Beastie Boys, Ozzy, Pink Floyd, Guns 'n Roses, and quite a few other late '70s and '80s bands thanks to my dad, but not once have I heard of an Ian Dury."

"Right. That settles it. We're going to a concert. Hold on tight." He beat the rhythm of the song on the console as we traveled.

Suddenly Rose shouted "Stop!" and we abruptly landed and got thrown to the floor.

"1979. Hel-eck of a year. China invades Vietnam. The Muppet Movie. Love that film. Margaret Thatcher. Urgh. Skylab falls to Earth, with a little help from me. Nearly took off my thumb." The Doctor lead the way outside and as you may have guessed we were not in 1979. "And I like my thumb. I need my thumb. I'm very attached to" Finally he looked up and saw we had guns pointed at us. "My thumb. 1879. Same difference."

The head honcho commanded "You will explain your presence. And the nakedness of this girl and the lack of propriety in the other." _Haha! Go long sleeves and jeans! I only got a "lack of propriety." Screw social norms. Never go anywhere if we followed them all the time. Would never be interesting._

The Doctor switched to a Scottish accent and it was unnerving me a bit. He looks like David Tennant and now he sounds like David Tennant in a natural setting (as in he isn't faking an accent like in Doctor Who or that new show…..Gracepoint? I didn't watch it I just knew it existed well…I guess it isn't that new but still). "Are we in Scotland?"

"How can you be ignorant of that?" Head dude commanded, incredulously.

"Oh, I'm, I'm dazed and confused. I've been chasing this, this wee naked child over hill and over dale and arguing with this 'un over her rebellious nature." The Doctor pointed to us in turn.

"Och, aye! I've been oot and aboot." Rose tried to follow up.

"No, don't do that." The Doctor tried to tell her. I giggled bit. I couldn't help but think of Martha and Donna.

"Hoots mon." She attempted again.

"No, really don't. Really." The Doctor told her.

"Will you identify yourself, sir?" Apparently the head honcho is getting impatient.

"I'm Doctor James McCrimmon, from the township of Balamory. I have my credentials, if I may." He pulled out the psychic paper. "As you can see, a Doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. I trained under Doctor Bell himself."

A voice sounded from within the carriage. "Let them approach."

"I don't think that's wise ma'am." Head dude replied.

"Let them approach." The voice commanded.

Head honcho sighed in defeat. "You will approach the carriage, and show all due deference." A footman opened the door to show the Queen.

"Maura, Rose, might I introduced her Majesty Queen Victoria. Empress of India and Defender of the Faith." The Doctor said.

I bowed but said nothing. She could take me in however she pleased. Nothing I would say would change it.

Rose curtsied. "Rose Tyler, Ma'am. And my apologies for being so naked."

"I've had five daughters. It's nothing to me. But you, Doctor. Show me these credentials." He handed her the psychic paper. "Why didn't you say so immediately? It states clearly here that you have been appointed by the Lord Provost as my Protector."

"Does it?" The Doctor looked at it. "Yes, it does. Good. Good. Then let me ask – why is Your Majesty travelling by road when there's a train all the way to Aberdeen?"

"A tree on the line." She replied.

"An accident?" The Doctor prodded.

"I am the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Everything around me tends to be planned." The Queen said matter-of-factly.

"An assassination attempt?" The Doctor asked. _Well, duh. Politics haven't changed and probably won't change. Easiest way to shake the system, take out the head and watch the neck flounder as it attempts to fill the hole quickly._

"What, seriously? There's people out to kill you?" Rose asked, incredulously.

"I'm quite used to staring down the barrel of a gun." The Queen replied.

Head honcho of the guards decided to interrupt. "Sir Robert MacLeish lives but ten miles hence. We've sent word ahead. He'll shelter us for tonight, then we can reach Balmoral tomorrow."

"This Doctor and hi timorous and rebellious beasties will come with us." The Queen commanded.

"Yes, Ma'am. We'd better get moving – it's almost nightfall." Head honcho bowed.

"Indeed. And there are stories of wolves in these parts. Fanciful tales intended to scare the children. But good for the blood, I think. Drive on!" The Queen ordered.

So while the queen gets the nice comfy carriage, guess what we get to do? Walk. With the stuffy, trigger happy soldiers.

"It's funny though, because you say assassination and you just think of Kennedy and stuff. Not her" Rose started.

"Well, it's nice to know that our president's death is important enough to teach even over here. Though I think of ninja's and Abraham Lincoln for assassinations if only because there are some very interesting ghost tales about Lincoln's." I chimed in.

The Doctor rolled his eyes at that. "1879? She's had, oh, six attempts on her life? And I'll tell you something else. We just met Queen Victoria!"

"I know!" Rose was excited and I deadpanned.

"What a laugh!" The Doctor continued.

"She was just sitting there." Rose mimed.

"Like a stamp." _Like a stamp? I'm confused - please explain, Doc._

"I want her to say I am not amused. I bet you both five quid I can make her say it." _That won't end well._

"Well, if I gambled on that, it'd be an abuse of my privileges of traveler in time." _Says the guy who accidentally created the banana daiquiri a century and a half early._

"Ten quid?" _Still won't end well._

"Done." _REALLY?_


	23. More Tooth and ClawWell, no Wolf Yet

Finally, we made it to the Torchwood Estate.

"Your Majesty." Some dude come out to greet us.

The Queen got out. "Sir Robert. My apologies for the emergency. And how is Lady Isobel?"

"She's indisposed, I'm afraid. She's gone to Edinburgh for the season. And she's taken the cook with her. The kitchens are barely stocked. I wouldn't blame Your Majesty if you wanted to ride on."

"Oh, not at all. I've had quite enough carriage exercise." _Carriage exercise? Carriage exercise?! SERIOUSLY?!_ "And this is charming, if rustic. It's my first visit to this house. My late husband spoke of it often. The Torchwood Estate. Now, shall we go inside? And please excuse the girls."

"Sorry." _Rose quit apologizing, they can take us as is or deal with it otherwise._

Pointing at Rose, the Doctor said, "She's a feral child. I bought her for sixpence in old London Town. It was her or the Elephant man, so"

"Thinks he's funny but I'm so not amused. What do you think, Ma'am?" I rolled my eyes at Rose's pitiful attempt.

"It hardly matters. Shall we proceed?" The Queen offered. Well…I say offered…

"So close." Rose moaned. _No you weren't._

Queen Victoria went inside and the head honcho started ordering people around. "Makerson and Ramsey, you will escort the property. Hurry up."

"Yes sir." They carried the fancy diamond in its plain box inside, not that Rose and the Doctor knew it was the fancy diamond whose name starts with a… K…?

"So, what's in there, then?" The Doctor looked curious.

"Property of the Crown. You will dismiss any further thoughts, sir." _Really, head honcho dude? You expect _the Doctor_ to ignore that especially when you just told him to?_ "The rest of you go to the rear of the house. Assume your designated positions."

I ignored the rest of it as I walked in and followed the Queen to the observatory with the huge telescope thingy.

The Queen was admiring it. "This, I take it, is the famous Endeavour."

"All my father's work. Built by hand in his final years. Became something of an obsession. He spent his money on this rather than caring for the house or himself." Sir Robert said.

"I wish I'd met him. I like him. That thing's beautiful. Can I?" The Doctor took a step near it.

"Help yourself." Sir Robert allowed.

The Doctor put his brainy specs on. "What did he model it on?"

"I know nothing about it. To be honest, most of us thought him a little, shall we say, eccentric. I wish now I'd spent more time with him and listened to his stories." Sir Robert mused.

"It's a bit rubbish. How many prisms has it got? Way too many. The magnification's gone right over the top. That's stupid kind of…Am I being rude again?" The Doctor looked over at us.

"Yep." Rose said while I nodded. I could see him trying to backtrack quickly.

"But it's pretty. It's very pretty." He rambled.

"And the imagination of it should be applauded." _Ooooo, the Queen approves, can't say anything now._

"Mmm. Thought you might disapprove, Your Majesty." I quickly tried to signal to Rose to back off but she didn't quite seem to get the message. "Stargazing. Isn't that a bit fanciful? You could easily not be amused, or something? No?"

"This device surveys the infinite work of God. What could be finer? Sir Robert's father was an example to us all. A polymath, steeped in astronomy and sciences, yet equally well versed in folklore and fairytales." The Queen sternly said.

"Stars and magic. I like him more and more." _Only for the stars, Doctor…._

"Oh, my late husband enjoyed his company. Prince Albert himself was acquainted with many rural superstitions, coming as he did from Saxe Coburg." The Queen reminisced.

"That's Bavaria." The Doctor murmured to us, not that it would help me.

"When Albert was told about your local wolf, he was transported." The Queen continued.

"So, what's this wolf, then?" The Doctor asked.

Sir Robert answered this time. "It's just a story." _No its not._

I didn't notice the Doctor glance over at me as he commanded, "Then tell it."

Unwilling, Sir Robert started, "It's said that-" when one of the creepy monk guys came in.

"Excuse me, sir. Perhaps her Majesty's party could repair to their rooms. It's almost dark."

Sir Robert looked conflicted. "Of course. Yes, of course."

"And then supper." _Well someone is hungry, but I guess as Queen she can do as she pleases when she pleases. _"And could we find some clothes for Miss Tyler? I'm tired of nakedness." _Well, at least there was no comment about me._

Quickly, I cut Rose off and stated, "I'll go with you." To insure she couldn't try another 'not amused' jab at the Queen. It was really starting to try her patience.

"Sir Robert, your wife must have left some clothes. See to it. We shall dine at seven, and talk some more of this wolf. After all, there is a full moon tonight."

"So there is Ma'am." Sit Robert conceded.

He led us to some rooms. I went in one and Rose went into another. I started looking through the wardrobe in the room. I couldn't find anything decent so I poked my head out to see if Rose had found something to her liking. However, a monk was waiting outside the door and the next thing I knew was darkness.


	24. Uh, Oops?

When I came too, I was chained and I saw Rose out cold next to me. On the other side was the servants and ladies. _Wonderful. Just fucking wonderful. I'm chained to a wall, a guy is about to wolf out on us, Rose is out, and the Doctor will never again allow me out of the TARDIS. Why does it seem like these things only happen to me?_

One of the females saw I was awake as I sat up. "Don't make a sound. They said if we scream or shout, then he will slaughter us."

I shook Rose as I answered back, "Well, that's nice. By the way, what's your name? Figured I might as well know and we can die together as friends."

"Isobel." She whispered back. Rose started to groan a bit.

"Nice to meet you, Isobel. I'm Maura. Now, once we get my friend, Rose, up, we can all pull on these chains and get out."

"But that would create a loud noise, which leads to our slaughter." She whispered, frightened.

"Yes, but right now he is chained up." I pointed over to the guy who will eventually turn into the huge wolf-thing. "If we do it now, we can still get away before he can get out." Unfortunately, he heard that comment. His eyes snapped open as Rose finally started to wake up.

"Oh, intelligence." He growled. Deciding someone should distract him and give the others a chance to escape, I moved up as far as the chains could let me.

"You are not from here. Earth, that is." I stated.

"And neither are you." He snapped back quickly. Isobel started talking to Rose. I quickly went on in hopes of covering their conversation.

"Your body is human, yet your mind is not." I stated again. "I know why you came here and I can tell you that you will not succeed. The Empire of the Wolf will not happen here. Not in this time, not in this place, not ever."

He moved to a position as if he was going to spring, but his cage kept him from doing so. He howled, crazed, "And who is to stop it? Who can stand against me and win?! Your Wolf-friend can't! She may burn like the sun, but I only require the moon. You can't! The Lost-Girl who doesn't know her place, whose home is further than can be imagined by any in this universe! Who doesn't know what she is!" I froze and all my bravo crashed into widespread panic. _How can he know that? _"Come, bring your armies and I'll rip them to shreds. The Empire of the Wolf will rise!"

Thankfully, Rose caught onto my idea, well…her idea, that I told Isobel and they almost had the chains broken. I saw him start to change and I quickly joined the others in pulling. The chains broke just as the Doctor and Sir Robert kicked down the door.

"Where the hell have you been?" _Took the words right out of my mouth, Rose._

The Doctor was about to retort back when he turned and saw the wolf. "Oh, that's beautiful."

At least Sir Robert kept his head as he shouted "Come on, go. Get out!"

I heard wood cracking and I turned back in time to see the crate the wolf was in break. The Doctor lunged forward and grabbed my hand as he shouted, "Out! Out! Out!" and dragged me out while pushing other people out.

Rose manned the rear as she told the others to "Come on."

We managed to get out in time for the Doctor to shut the door and deadbolt it with the sonic, not that it would hold the wolf for long.

We ran to the gun room. Then, Sir Robert told Isobel, "Take the girls. Get them out through the kitchen."

Almost in tears, Isobel answered, "I can't leave you. What will you do?"

Sir Robert answered, "I must defend her Majesty. Now, don't think of me. Just go."

"All of you, at my side. Come on!" As the Doctor got the shackles off, the servants followed Isobel out.

"I could be any form of light modulated species triggered by specific wavelengths. Did it say what it wanted?" The Doctor looked at Rose and Rose turned and glanced to me forcing the Doctor to turn my way as well.

"It wants to rule Earth starting with the Queen. One bite and the Empire of the Wolf will rise." I managed to get out. I figured I should inform them of the bite as Rose wasn't the one to obtain that information and I never got wolf-boy to say it. Unfortunately, it seems that Rose was awake enough to realize that wolf-boy never mentioned a bite as she was looking at me weird. She was about to say something when we heard a crash and wood breaking. The Doctor peaked out and saw the wolf at the other end of the hall barreling towards us. The guys from this time period fired at it. The Doctor grabbed my and Rose's hand.

"All right, you men. We should retreat upstairs. Come with me." The Doctor commanded.

"I'll not retreat. The battle's done. There's no creature on God's Earth that could survive such an assault." _Unfortunately, that thing can…I actually don't know your name. Huh, we'll dub thee random guy 1._

The Doctor wouldn't have any of that. "I'm telling you, come upstairs!"

"And I'm telling you, sir, I will sleep well tonight with that thing's hide upon my wall." Random Guy 1 stepped into the hallway and saw nothing as he turned back to say, "It must have crawled away to die." He was then hoisted up to the ceiling and I froze at the sight. Watching someone get ripped to shreds on TV is leagues different than watching it in real life.

"There's nothing we can do," the Doctor called over the snarling and the sickening sound of wet meat ripping. He gripped my hand tighter and dragged us out towards the stairs. _I'm never eating meat again._ I tried to block out the images and focus on the now, but it wasn't working that well.

We reached the stairs and saw Queen Victoria.

"Your Majesty? Your Majesty!" Sir Robert called out.

"Sir Robert? What's happening?" She glided down the stairs. "I heard such terrible noises." The images came back with a vengeance at that.

"Your Majesty, we've got to get out. But what of Father Angelo? Is he still here?" Sir Robert asked.

"Captain Reynolds disposed of him." _No he didn't, you did. And there is nothing shameful of it, Your Majesty._

The Doctor glanced at me as he stated, "The front door's no good, it's been boarded shut. Pardon me, Your Majesty. You'll have to leg it out of a window."

We head to the drawing room and Robert felt the need to make up for this. "Excuse my manners, Ma'am, but I shall go first, the better to assist Her Majesty's egress."

"A noble sentiment, my Sir Walter Raleigh." _No, that's just guilt speaking, Your Majesty._

"Yeah, any chance you could hurry up?" _Wait a minute…..that doesn't sound…..Oh shit. _I elbow him. _Scottish accent you dim-wad! You dropped your Scottish accent! The last thing we need is for the Queen to get suspicious of us as well when we are only trying to help!_ Robert opened the window and got shot at. We dragged him back and the Doctor commented, "I reckon the monkey boys want us to stay inside." Thankfully, he caught my thoughts as he picked his accent back up again. One small crisis averted.

"Do they know who I am?" _They are very well aware of who you are, Your Majesty._

"Yes. They plan on using you to gain power. One bite, one scratch, and Britain will fall under the might of the Empire of the Wolf." I looked directly at her trying to get her to understand that this is not a joke. Unfortunately, she choose to go with the denial route, not that I can say anything as I am pretty much the Queen of Denial at this point.

"Stop this talk. There can't be an actual wolf." There was howl that followed her statement. _Nice timing wolf-boy._

"What do we do?" Rose asked.

"We run." _Typical Doctor answer._

"Is that it?" Rose seemed a bit shocked at that. _Have you met him?_

"You got any silver bullets?" _Something tells me that even that wouldn't work, Doctor._

"Not on me, no." Rose sounded a bit amused.

"There we are then, we run. Your Majesty, as a Doctor, I recommend a vigorous jog. Good for the health. Come on!" He demonstrated and then grabbed the Queen's hand and latched back onto mine and dragged us up the stairs. The wolf smashed its way out of the doors and started to follow us up. "Come on! Come on!" It was nearly on us when the head honcho guy shot at it and it retreated for the moment.

"I'll take this position and hold it. You keep moving, for God's sake! Your Majesty, I went to look for the property and it was taken. The chest was empty." Head Honcho shouted. _Why must guys try to be so macho?_

"It won't work! All that will happen is your death! Come on! There is a room we can hide in and it will leave us alone so long as we are there. Why not use your life for something better than as a wasted life in an attempt to do an unnecessary suicide mission!" I shouted back at him.

"It will buy you time!" He shouted back. Deciding I had enough of this, I grabbed his hand and dragged him the rest of the way to the library.

"Come on, you slow pokes!" I called back. They were following, thankfully. We made it safely in the library and once everyone was in, I shut the doors. "Barr the doors!"

"How is this any better?!" Sir Robert shouted back.

"Just trust me!" I pleaded.

"Why should we?"

"Because, right now, this is your only hope." I felt weird while saying that.

The Doctor was looking at me weird, but I ignored him. I could deal with him later. I just needed to save someone with my foreknowledge. Eventually they realized that the wolf wasn't following us in and it wasn't even outside.

"It's gone." The Doctor said. "Listen." There was silence. "Maura was right, it stopped and didn't follow us in. Why?" He looked at me.

"I don't understand. What's stopping it?" Rose piped up.

"Something inside this room. What is it? Why can't it get in? And more importantly, how did you know that?" He looked directly at me. _Shitzle._


	25. Screwed That's me

I froze and quickly scrambled my thoughts together. Nothing good was coming from my jumbled mess. So I only had one real option at the moment. "What does it matter, we are busy right now. In case you hadn't noticed: Wolf. That wants to kill us. And take over Earth! So why don't we focus on that and when the Earth is not in danger we might go over the fine art of deduction." I let my scathing teenage brain take over and have no idea how my voice didn't shake or crack but was thankful for it.

The weight of the Doctor's scrutiny was intense. I wanted to look away but couldn't bring myself to. I could feel him judging me and the situation trying to decide whether to continue this conversation now or later. It felt as if time had slowed for I knew it only took him a few seconds to make his decision, but I sensed an eternity pass. When we heard the wolf come around and make some noise, the Doctor made the decision to drop the subject. But I knew we weren't close to being done with this.

"Is this the only entrance?" The Doctor asked Sir Robert.

"Ye-NO!" He scrambled to a hidden door and we barred that entrance quickly as well.

We listened as the wolf made it way around the room, sniffing and pawing.

"Something…something in here is causing it to stop? What is it?" The Doctor thought out loud.

I knew he was now on high alert when it came to me and was almost guaranteed to have thrown all semblance of privacy out the window. I'm sure that he could now tell you every thought, every emotion, every movement I did and was probably analyzing each. I tried to keep my thoughts quiet but it's like when someone tells you to not think of something and you automatically do it despite your best attempts at not doing so. I couldn't help but think mistletoe after a bit of a mental struggle and sure enough, the moment I did, I felt the full weight of the Doctor's eyes on me. But despite our growing conflict, the show must go on.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. It's all my fault. I should have sent you away. I tried to suggest something was wrong. I thought you might notice. Did you think there was nothing strange about my household staff?" Sir Robert apologized to Queen Victoria while the Doctor and I had our moment.

But of course the Doctor doesn't miss a beat. "Well, they were bald, athletic. Your wife's away, I just thought you were happy."

And Rose tried to add some humor (and win her bet). "I'll tell you what though, Ma'am, I bet you're not amused now."

But, unfortunately for her the Queen had none. "Do you think this is funny?"

Suitably chastised, Rose looked down. "No, Ma'am. I'm sorry."

Yeah, the Queen was not a happy camper right now. "What, exactly, I pray tell me, someone, please. What exactly is that creature?" She demanded.

"You'd call it a werewolf, but technically it's a more of a lupine wavelength haemovariform." The Doctor answered.

"And should I trust you, sir?" The Queen asked, accusingly. "You've been close to enjoying it."

"Yes, well-" The Doctor tried to recover.

"I'll not have it. No, sir. Not you, not that thing, none of it. This is not my world." The Queen commanded.

While trying to look anywhere but at the queen, I saw the Doctor's eyes land on a carving above the door. "Mistletoe." He glanced at me. I tried to put a muzzle on my mental mouth. "Sir Robert, did you father put that there?"

"I don't know." He answered. "I suppose."

"On the other door, too." The Doctor continued. "No, a carving wouldn't be enough. I wonder…" He licked the woodwork. "Viscum album, the oil of the mistletoe. It's been worked into the wood like a varnish. How clever was your dad? I love him. Powerful stuff, mistletoe. Bursting with lectins and viscotoxins." He kept glancing back at me.

Rose watched us like we were in a tennis match she couldn't quite keep up with. "And the wolf's allergic to it?"

Close enough.

Another glance. "Well, it thinks it is. The monkey monk monks need a way of controlling the wolf, maybe they trained it to react against certain things."

"Nevertheless, that creature won't give up, Doctor, and we still don't possess an actual weapon." Sir Robert interjected. I started shuffling myself a bit towards the corner, hoping I would go unnoticed.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Oh, your father got all the brains, didn't he?"

Rose nudged him. "Being rude again."

"Good." He retorted. "I meant that one. You want weapons? We're in a library. Books! Best weapons in the world. This room's the greatest arsenal we could have." He swept his hands around before grabbing a pile of books and throwing them at Rose. "Arm yourself."

* * *

**Here it is! The long awaited 25th chapter! And many thanks to my new Beta VioletLites!  
****Right, I don't own Doctor Who. Should throw that in.**

**Sooooo, I got my wisdom teeth out and I'm moving into my dorm so the next updates will be a bit sporadic as I try to settle into college life and pain killers are also not conductive to readable writing. Just FYI.**

And thanks for the reviews and likes and stuff while i was awol and when I finally posted stuff :)


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